


the one that got away

by pastelcosmos



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 02:53:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 51,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16589453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelcosmos/pseuds/pastelcosmos
Summary: dean chuckles, still chewing the damn peanuts. surprisingly to paige, he's actually talking and she didn't even have to try hard. "i mean, i don't think you'd know how it feels but goddamn, it sucks."she frowns, keeping her eyes on him. "if you don't tell me, yes, i wouldn't know how it feels."he glances at her, popping the last of the peanuts into his mouth. "just you know, having to call someone you didn't want to ever lose be the one that got away."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [finnethralor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/finnethralor/gifts).



the look on her face isn't something seth thinks he could ever forget. he's learnt to read every single one of her expressions in the time that they've spent together — all three years of it — and now when he needs it the most, he fails. anger? sadness? or is it nothing? she doesn't look like she was about to cry or scream at him. she doesn't look like anything and seth's inner voice tells him that he's made a grave mistake. maybe he shouldn't have said what he just said. maybe he doesn't even want to go this route. 

that's too late now. 

he stays silent as he waits for her reaction, if he even gets any. eyes on his clasped hands on the table and occasionally looking up at his girlfriend ( or ex now? he's not certain ), seth doesn't let his inner thoughts get to him. he's taken too long thinking this through and the moment he stepped out of the house earlier tonight, he's certain he's made a final decision. yes, break up with her, go home and undoubtedly mope around for a couple days. 

at least that's how ambrose said it would be, except seth's still here waiting for sasha's reaction. fuck. why the fuck did he even listen to ambrose? he should have taken roman's advice instead; be patient, work it out, don't make any stupid decisions. fuck this. 

"i guess.." sasha finally speaks, a sigh falling past her soft lips as her gaze drops down onto her own clasped hands; hands that seth wishes he could reach out and take in his own. goddamn it. this was a fucking mistake. 

sasha's gaze lifts to meet his and he waits for her to speak again. "i suppose it's something you've thought about for awhile, huh? i can't blame you.. in all honesty, i've thought about it too." 

ouch. really? fuck, that hurt. he almost scoffs at himself before deciding against it. so the past couple of weeks had been time spent trying to make it work and apparently that failed. he sighs instead, nodding his head to tell her that yes, he has been thinking through this for the past month. it isn't working. she gets too busy for him and him for her and lately the affection just lacks. when he talked to roman about this, the big guy had only clapped him on his shoulder and wished him luck. he should have known even roman agrees that this would have come sooner or later. 

"we're... okay, right?" seth tests, unsure if they're going separate ways on bad terms or good. "i mean, im sorry but i hope we don't end up hating each other." 

to his surprise, sasha smiles. "of course not. i can't ever hate you. i don't think im even out of love with you.. but things happen for a reason and maybe we do need this for, i don't know, whatever reason there might be." 

god, this is why he loved her. loves her. why are they even breaking up? seth almost couldn't fight the temptation to take her hand and tell her to forget this conversation even happened, that tomorrow they'd wake up to each other's text messages and meet up when they could and this didn't even have to even happen. but it is what it is and sasha's already up on her feet and seth could feel her slipping from his fingers. his eyes burn, his chest is tight. this is really happening. 

"so," sasha breaks the silence once again. "i should head back home. my mom's expecting me home early." 

seth's up on his feet at this, ready to send her home but sasha's waving him off, telling him that it's okay and that she'll grab a cab home and then she's leaving, walking away from him and not towards him and it's at this moment that seth realizes that he /asked/ for this. it was him who let her go. 

he doesn't even fight the wave of emotions that attacked him as soon as he falls onto his bed at home, ignoring dean, roman and paige altogether. his housemates would know the story sooner or later. now he'd just have to sleep the pain off. 

it's just harder than he'd thought it would be. 

———————————————————— 

 

it's honestly a pain in the ass to be friends with both parties of a couple; especially when one of them decided a break would be needed. paige sighs as she reads over the text message she'd just received from the closest thing she could call a best friend; sasha banks. apparently seth had broken up with her and though both paige and sasha knew it was coming, she guesses it would still hurt anyway. 

it just didn't help that seth is one of her best friends too. oh, and also her boyfriend's best friend and housemate. everyone knows everyone and at some point paige doesn't exactly remember who met who first. she's pretty certain sasha met seth through her when she started seeing roman all those years ago. great. all the better. someone's gonna bring up the fact that if she hadn't introduced them then none of this would have happened. she hopes that doesn't ever come up. that would be the last thing she needs. 

noticing how pressed she looked from reading a single text message, her boyfriend nudges at her knee with his own, causing her for finally look away from the words she'd been reading over and over. roman has that concerned look on his face that tells her he's part worried and part curious as to what's going on. she sighs, easily showing him the message and letting him take her phone to read it. 

"i hate the fact that you hate butter," a voice breaks the silence from the other couch, belonging to dean who's frowning into the bowl of caramelized popcorn she'd prepared before they played the movie. "and i hate that rome's letting you caramelize our popcorn." 

roman barely acknowledges what dean said and paige only rolls her eyes, having been used to dean's constant whining about her distaste for butter. it's been nearly four years and he still complains; it doesn't even get to her anymore for how much dean uses the word 'hate'. she ignores the remark and takes her phone back when roman hands it to her. 

"you gon' go see her then?" roman asks, voice laced with concern for sasha and probably seth as well. "want me to send you?" 

paige nods her head, pocketing her phone into her jacket and checking the time on clock. "i probably should. and yeah, i need the ride. work tomorrow?" 

"nah, im free." roman says with a shake of his head and popping popcorn into his mouth, dean having given in and eating the caramelized ones anyway even though he hated it. 

just as roman grabs his car keys, the door opens and seth walks in, looking pretty much wrecked and ignoring dean's questions as he retreats into his room, the door closing quietly behind him. roman and paige share a look, both sighing before he updates dean on what's going on while paige waits by the front door. she could only imagine how sasha might feel right now. 

it's moments like these that makes her see things she sometimes forgets. as she gets into the car with roman and he starts towards sasha's place, she takes the silence to appreciate that she still has him; this man she met four years ago and the one who'd taken her hand and never once let go. sure, they had been on rocky roads more times than she could count but it's his patience that has kept them intact, and these feelings she has for him that she's sure she would never have for anyone else. it was weird, at first, realizing this; knowing she's in love and it would not be the same but she's come to terms with it after awhile and it's become something that she is. without roman, she's a version of herself she doesn't really like. she isn't always so corny but he's seated next to her now, willingly accompanying her to console her best friend while his best friend is at home and she's happy. she's happy. 

roman's focused on the road and she smiles at that; has always adored how he looked while he drives. she reaches over to take his free hand in her own, catching his attention and receiving one of her favorite roman smiles. god, he looks so soft and precious, like a little tough baby only paige could see through past all that muscles and tattoos and hard cover. she loves this the most; being the only one who could see through him. 

"what are you thinking?" he asks, and his voice is naturally rough, wearing a lace of soft affection only for her. 

she gives his hand a squeeze and it's a moment of vulnerability; a wall she brings down for private moments like this. "you'd never let me go, right?" 

he chuckles, eyes on the road even as he lifts her hand to kiss her knuckles. he smiles still and she knows he isn't mad at her random question. that is just how he is, anyway; always assuring her that her fears are only that; fears. 

"why would i ever? i'd be stupid to, everyone knows that." he scoffs playfully but turns his head to flash her a smile. "i'd never." 

"you better not," paige counters, her accent thickened when she plays along. she loves that it's how it is between them; a random serious question never lasts longer than it should. "you know what i'd do if you ever." 

roman laughs at this, having gone through this playful conversation countless of times. "im afraid i do. you'd never really castrate me though." 

paige's mouth falls into an 'o', faking a gasp at his words. "is that a challenge, reigns? because you do not want to challenge me." 

his next words are incoherent mixed with his laughter and paige joins in, rolling her eyes playfully as his voice fills up her senses. it's so easy to be okay when he's close and paige tunes out everything else around her as they continued to banter and joke until they're finally pulled into sasha's driveway. she gives him a kiss and a thank you, smiling at him and blowing him a playful kiss after reminding him to drive back safe and he asks her to take care. she doesn't turn until she could no longer see his car and when she does, her smile easily dissipates. 

there by the front door is her best friend, broken and definitely nowhere near as happy as she had been just a few minutes before. paige sighs as she wraps her arms around sasha; it's going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

"should we be checking on seth at all?" paige breaks the silence that has blanketed the three of them in the car since roman started the vehicle and drove towards the city. 

it's friday night and it's their usual night out. normally seth and sasha would tag along but since the break up, roman hasn't really seen seth when they're both off work aside from when they leave together in the morning. the guy's been locked up in his room if it's unnecessary to leave the house. roman shares paige's concern but he thinks seth just needs a little more time. he shrugs his shoulders and glances over to dean who's seated in the back, staring out of the window like he always does when stuck in between couples. roman has to smile at that; dean would never admit it but he sulks a lot. 

"i think he just needs a little more time," roman says finally, turning the corner towards the diner they frequent. "ive seen him this way before when his first girlfriend broke up with him. he'll come around." 

dean laughs at this, sitting forward so he could see both roman and paige at the front seat. "yeah, like after a whole month or two. the guy's moping is worst than a girl's." 

roman and paige share a smile at dean's remark but paige's voice is serious when she speaks again. "does he even eat? that's serious. we have to get him out of that room." 

"good luck trying," dean scoffs. "ive tried to but he wouldn't even open the door." 

"im sure he'll open the door if it's me." paige insists and roman rolls his eyes at this. 

he wouldn't admit to being jealous at how easily seth opens up to his girlfriend and how naturally they clicked the moment he introduced them back all those years ago. seth wouldn't do shit if paige doesn't have a say in it. it irks roman a little and he occasionally shows it, like right now and paige notices. there's a smile on her face he knows so well so he's certain the topic will come up at some point and she's going to tease him. he couldn't help the smile that curls at his lips though. 

"you know what? turn back around." dean orders, patting at roman's shoulder to get his attention. 

roman frowns, not keen in wasting car oil and time to turn around and back again to the city. "what for, man? we're already halfway there. the place won't open for long." 

he could feel dean rolling his eyes more than he could see it and roman sighs, wondering briefly just how exactly they became best mates. he's set on /not/ going back but makes a mistake by glancing over at paige, whose eyebrows raise at him with a look that definitely says she agrees with dean's suggestion. he sighs again, making a turn back towards his house where seth is pretty much locked up in his own room. 

paige seems pleased, leaning over to give him a kiss on his cheek. "we'll make sure seth gets out of his room because even sasha's moving on pretty well." 

roman says nothing and it's dean who agrees, "we're going to drink it out tonight, rome. seth's going to be wasted as fuck." 

paige giggles and roman shakes his head. "im not looking forward to that." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

nikki bella sits by her twin sister in a half empty diner, picking at the fries too oily for her liking that brie seems to enjoy. she sighs softly. they could be at one of their friends' fancy party but brie chose to waste a good friday night at a greasy joint. if nikki doesn't love brie as much as she does, she would have dragged her twin sister off this place so they could party the night away. 

but of course, her sixteen-minutes younger twin chose to sulk and eat junk at a place that so reminds her of the ex she never really got over even though it's been seven years. nikki hates that. she had liked the guy brie had been with those years ago; as much as she'd hate to admit, brie had been the happiest in those seven years she'd been with him. it's not a lie that they had all thought they'd end up married. until suddenly brie's a single lady and apparently they lost contact. 

brie's stuffing her face with fries and chicken wings and nikki doesn't recall her — sister ever liking these unhealthy junk, except for when she had been with the long-time ex. nikki frowns at her sister, taking a peak at the glass of soda that had come with the meal. 

"alright, what's going on?" she finally speaks up, arms crossed on her chest. 

brie only continues to chew up food in her mouth, glancing briefly at her twin before she takes a huge gulp of soda. "im just eating, nikki. must there be something wrong for me to actually eat?" 

rolling her eyes in utter annoyance, nikki grabs at brie's arm to make them face each other. "there must be if you're starting to feed yourself trash, brianna. and here, of all places? i didn't just meet you yesterday, you know?" 

her words are ignored as brie turns back to the plate of food in front of her, picking up a fry to nibble on it without actually eating. nikki releases another soft sigh, placing a hand over brie's. "brie, talk to me." 

"i just," brie mirrors nikki's sigh. "i miss him. like, a lot. it's weird cause it's been seven years since he and i broke up but yesterday would have been our fourteenth year and it just got to me." 

nikki softens up at how brie sounds, wrapping an arm around her twin sister to hug her close to her chest. it's so easy to forget her anger towards anyone when brie is close. that's how they had always been with each other. like two halves of a whole. when brie is hurting, nikki feels it just as when nikki's broken, brie isn't as whole. she allows brie to rest her head on her shoulder, the food now forgotten as she pushes the plate away from her. 

they stay that way for a little while, attention only shifted when the bell at the door sounds, indicating another couple of people who decided it's the place to get dinner on this friday night. nikki's head turns to see on instinct, breath caught in her throat just as she hears brie gasp. there at the entrance of this greasy joint stood the very ex brie has been talking about, hand in hand with his new girl, and his friends falling in place behind him. 

nikki doesn't know to drag brie out or pretend they never knew the group of people. but that's decided when brie's hand raises and she waves at roman reigns, her ex of seven years and the man she never really moved on from. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

he knows he's fucked the moment he stepped into the diner he hasn't stepped foot in for the last seven years and locked eyes with a pair of brown ones he hasn't looked into for ages. paige recognizes brie immediately and he could hear her silent 'oh, bloody brilliant' muttered under her breath. she doesn't look all too pleased, looking away from the pair of twins and giving his hand a squeeze. he has to smile when brie waves at him, his own free hand raised to return the greeting. 

paige has lost her smile, roman notes. 

apparently so has dean and he saves them all when he steps forward to give the twins a playfully flirty greeting. they had managed to drag seth out of his room, courtesy of paige, and the diner they had planned to go to closed the moment they arrived. it was dean who suggested they come here because he misses the special menu they had; he'd been forced not to come here when roman and brie broke up. it had been their place, somehow. roman doesn't eat here without brie and brie without him. paige knows it; paige knows all of it. she'd met the twins a couple of years back when roman brought her to a reunion party his college mate had thrown and both brie and nikki had been there. 

let's just say it was an emotional night for paige, her overthinking playing the most role for the tears she shed. roman just fears it would be a repeat of that night. he only hopes it wouldn't be, that she'd finally accepted that brie is his past and she is his present. 

roman doesn't allow himself to look at brie but keeps his gaze on paige, who has a forced smile across her face as they both make their way towards the twins, dean having seated opposite them and seth just tagging along. roman watches as paige and brie share a brief hug and he proceeds with a hug as well. 

"it's nice seeing you," paige says then, her smile faint. "we'll be sitting over there though, since dean's already taking up the space. we'll see you around." 

brie responds with a smile and a nod of her head and roman allows paige to pull him towards the empty table, her choosing to sit with her back towards the twins. he parts his lips to call for seth but dean's already pulling him over to sit with the bellas. 

paige sighs when roman takes both her hands in his larger ones. he searches her eyes with a smile until she gives in and her own lips curl into a grin, failing to stay grumpy. roman knows just which one of his smiles that would do the trick; paige falls for it every time. she pinches at his wrist playfully and he hisses just to play along, frowning though he's unable to bite back his own grin for very long. 

"don't you dare laugh at me, sir." paige scolds even as their fingers lace together, her lips stretched into that pretty grin of hers and he returns it with one of his own. "i have enough sources to get back at you and your jealousy." 

roman laughs softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "i didn't even say anything. plus, whoever said i was jealous? i don't do jealousy, babe." 

paige rolls her eyes in response, snorting in the most unattractive way that only attracted roman even more. "that's bullcrap, roman. i totally saw the look on your face when i said i could convince seth out. you're jealous." 

the sigh that parts roman's lips is exaggerated, shaking his head as he thought of a witty comeback. "but so are you." 

the english scrunches up her nose but doesn't say anything to deny it, only lifting roman's hand to fiddle with his fingers. her voice is soft when she whispers, a tinge of playfulness in her tone but roman knows she's mostly serious. "you're mine. we shouldn't even have come here." 

"don't blame me. i didn't bring us here." roman says defensively, attention brought over to dean who had come over to their table. he laughs when his friend receives another pinch from paige, not even bothered to defend him when dean looked at him in disbelief. 

rubbing at the spot paige had pinched him, dean shakes his head and takes a seat next to roman. "first of all, what the heck was that for? and second, whose turn is it to treat us all? im starving." 

paige rolls her eyes again. "firstly, that was for bringing us here and i had to face those twins and second, it's your turn. so im ordering the most expensive one there is because i deserve it and you owe me." 

"i got pinched for it too so im definitely ordering somethin' real pricey." roman chimes in, faking a serious expression at dean's look of disbelief. 

he shares a brief smile with paige and she's giving his hand another squeeze so he knows they're okay. paige won't be crying tonight. both looking over at dean again, roman laughs at their friend sighing in defeat and taking out his wallet, ready to spend everything he has on them.   
\------------------------------------------------ 

seth curses silently to himself when dean leaves him behind with the bella twins. he has no mood whatsoever to socialize with a couple of really attractive girls, even if he had known them back in college days. 

it's been nearly a month since he broke up with sasha and last he heard, she was doing pretty well. he even saw her on his way to work the other day and she looked... healthy. which is good, of course, but seth wishes he could look half as okay as she does. if it wasn't for paige, he would have stayed in like he did the last couple of friday nights and weekends. he can't even be bothered to check if he looks decent enough to be sitting here with the bellas. 

seth only looks up when he feels a gentle hand on his forearm, belonging to brie who he had known through roman so many years ago. he hadn't been too close to roman then and had briefly known brie and nikki as the twins everyone seemed to be friends with. 

"you look wrecked, rollins." brie comments and seth notices how her twin, nikki, chortles at her remark. he couldn't even blame them. 

nikki clears her throat then and he's forced to look at her. "you look like you need a drink or two." she nods towards the table where he knows dean, roman and paige are seated at. "make sure they treat you for some shots, or beer, at least." 

seth could only sigh, appreciating their show of concern and flashing the briefest of smiles at the duo. "i think that's the plan. at least if i get wasted, i'll go to sleep pretty easily." 

brie's hand around his forearm squeezes comfortingly and her gaze is soft when he looks into her brown eyes. "don't get used to it though. if what i think is right about what happened to you, it'll be okay." 

"yeah," nikki agrees and seth notices how nice the huskiness in her voice is, not much different from brie's but lovely. really lovely. 

she seems to be completing what brie had meant to say and he thinks this must be the twin magic people always talk about when it comes to a pair that came to earth together. "it'll take time to heal but you'll be alright. hurts, doesn't it? but hey, if you're lucky, you'll find someone even better." 

he doesn't really let her words sink in; that's what they all say thinking it would make someone feel better. it almost never actually work. but what he does let sink in is that realization that they aren't as identical as people said they were. brie's smile is soft and gentle but nikki has a glint of mischief and playfulness in hers. he thinks her eyes are just a tint lighter than brie's too. he smiles at them both just as brie stands up and tugs nikki with her. 

"we best get going now," she says before proceeding to greet dean, roman and paige goodbye. 

it's nikki's turn to pat his arm and her smile is warm and he's pretty sure he caught a whiff of a really nice perfume coming from her. "we'll catch up soon, yeah?" 

seth only nods in response while nikki and brie exit the joint and he's silent as he goes over to join his friends. they gave each other questioning looks and he knows then, that they must have also realized that that's the first time he's smiled in weeks.


	3. Chapter 3

his asshole friends really did take a lot out of him that friday night. dean finds himself cursing under his breath as he struggles to find at least ten bucks for work today, coming up with nothing in his wallet. he curses some more, tossing the wallet off against the wall of his room before picking it up begrudgingly and slipping it into his jeans pocket. he lets himself fall onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling and wishing he hadn't gone all out last friday. 

roman and paige had definitely stuck to their words and ordered something nearly $20 each — dean doesn't even begin to wonder just how such a petite little one like paige could stuff all those food in because she definitely did not leave anything on the plate. it's not surprising for roman to eat that much but paige? dean curses again. how the fuck? and not to mention that it was his very own idea to get seth fucking wasted; the guy was out cold and roman had to half carry and half drag him into his room. 

dean chuckles at the memory — he'd have to admit that it was a good night so maybe all those money he lost was worth it. not that he'd admit that out loud. he sighs to himself, wondering if he would even make it to work today. his motorbike had been sent off to get fixed and he doesn't even have a dollar to take the bus. can he even afford skipping a day off work? fuck this. he'd probably have to walk. 

there's a knock on the door that he easily recognizes to be roman — he's lived with the other two guys long enough to differentiate their knocking styles. roman doesn't wait for him to open the door as he speaks. 

"hey, man, im off to work and im sending paige off too. you need a ride?" 

dean's reply is a quick and sharp "no," 

wait, paige is here? she probably stayed the night and dean didn't even know. the girl is basically their fourth housemate from the amount of time she spends in this house. not that dean's complaining; she's great company to keep and she's kept their samoan brother happy for this long, not to mention the things she could get seth to do. he realizes soon after the thought crosses his mind that she has the same effect on him when he easily gives in at the sound of her voice. 

"come on, ambrose. you know you need the bloody ride." 

if anyone ever asks, dean would deny how he stops mentally battling himself on whether or not he should take up the offer the moment she stated the obvious. there's just something about her; he's pretty sure at some point he'd thought she had magic, back when she had first come into the picture, young and bossy and he was drunk as fuck when she'd ordered him to get in the fucking car. fuck, that was four years ago? time flies. he chuckles to himself as he gets off the bed to grab his jacket, opening the door and nearly getting roman's fist up his nose if he hadn't dodged the guy's attempt to knock at his door. roman doesn't even look sorry, just walks over and pulling paige with him as they head out of the house. 

"jealous asshole," dean mutters loud enough for roman to hear, his words completely playful as he locks up the house, seth having been gone to work an hour ago. 

roman shoots him a glare and makes a show of showing his fist at dean, a threat the shorter male doesn't even flinch at. oh, roman's fist isn't a stranger to dean's jaw, alright, but he'd rather not get acquainted with it before work. the guy doesn't look like he's playing anyway and dean's tempted to test his patience before he notices the way paige gently touches the samoan's forearm and there's an almost instant smile that spreads at his face, telling dean that he was never really mad at the first place. he rolls his eyes; fucking love bugs. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

he reaches the gas station fifteen minutes too early, thanks to paige, who said she wanted to get lunch with roman before her class starts. he'd jokingly asked why he couldn't come along and paige had looked almost desperate to make sure dean /doesn't/ come along. roman made sure of that, alright. must be some couple problems dean can't be arsed to care about. his best friend did slip twenty bucks in his pocket and dean's just only slightly embarrassed that roman knows he's broke as hell. 

a colleague chortles at him as soon as he enters the employee's locker room, to which he easily ignores as he stuffs his belongings into his locker and pull on the ugly uniform he's had to wear every fucking time he comes here. they could use a better design, honestly. 

kevin, the colleague ( no, not a friend ), claps him on his shoulder and dean braces for whatever shitty things the belly man has had to say today. "you're surprisingly early, eh? trying to please mike so you could get a raise? you know that isn't how it works here, don't ya?" 

dean snorts, closing the door of his locker a little too loudly. "screw off, man. don't wanna waste my breath on ya." 

see the fun part about messing with kevin is that the dude has close to zero patience. dean actually quite enjoyed it. there's a smirk that colors his lips when kevin's nostrils started flaring, an obvious show of anger at how dean had spoken to him. 

"you know, this is why nobody likes you." kevin says and it hits a spot in whatever that's left of dean's heart but he doesn't show it. "you're an asshole and you're rude and you can't even keep a girlfriend for longer than a month." 

dean only scoffs as kevin makes his way past him towards the door, making sure the older guy could hear him when he speaks. "i don't give a damn, man." 

he hears a muttered 'asshole' loud enough for him to hear as the door closes behind kevin and it's that assurance that he's alone that allows dean to roll his eyes, trying his best to not let any part of kevin's words get to him. 

that's too late now. 

first of all, though, he did manage to keep a girl for more than a month. that had been nearly a decade ago, however. but that relationship lasted five years and he hasn't really forgotten how her lips felt like on his own. he makes sure roman and seth don't know this. he doesn't need them pestering him to move on. perhaps if he still had a heart, he'd let them. but he doesn't. at least not anymore since he gave it to her. 

dean sighs as he leaves the locker room and his shift begins; it's going to be a long day. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

his eyes burn. 

and seth is almost proud to say that it isn't because he's been staring up at his ceiling without blinking for a long period of time, much like what he's been doing whenever he's home and in his room. this time they burn from staring at his computer screen for a little too long, having been in the office for the past five hours without much of a break. 

he prefers this than doing nothing at all, though. when he busies himself with work there's no room for the thoughts that come when he's alone in his free time. 

breaking away from the computer screen, seth stretches his arms and cracks his fingers. he's well over lunch time but he's skipped meals so frequently that he no longer gets affected by it. he glances at the time and notes that it's already 4pm, unfazed by how fast the time flies as he downs the rest of his already stale coffee. he winces at the taste, taking a gulp from his bottled water he has ready on his table at all times to wash off the staleness in his mouth. 

"you looked wrecked, my friend." a voice penetrates the silence that seth has surrounded himself with and he turns to see his colleague and fellow trainee, finn, leaned against the side of his table, a cup of coffee in hand. 

seth laughs softly to himself, having heard the exact remark not very long ago. "yeah? well, you're not the first person to say that." 

his friend releases a soft chuckle in response though seth notes the slight frown of concern he wears. "you do know that this means it's serious, don't you? perhaps you'd like to take some days off." 

"nah," seth retorts, checking at the time again before he starts packing up some of his stuff to get ready for a meeting he has with their boss, hunter; apparently the big guy is up for another project and seth's required to be part of it. "the last thing i need right now are days off. i gotta get going though, hunter's expecting me in five." 

finn only nods his head, clapping seth on his shoulder. "i heard it's a pretty big project. all the best with it, rollins. and take care of yourself. i'll see you around." 

seth nods with a grateful smile as the english man walks off and back to his own table. double checking that he has everything he needs, seth then makes his way towards hunter's office. their client would arrive pretty soon if they're punctual and seth wouldn't deny that he has been looking forward to this for awhile. finally a project with his ideas and hunter's guidance. college finally feels like it was worth it all. 

hunter grants him permission to open the door at the first few of his knocks. he's known hunter for a pretty long time; their first meeting having been when hunter made a special appearance at one of his classes back when he was earning his bachelor of architecture. in the long run, it was worth it. it was just a really long time. 

the man's shaved head pops out from behind a cabinet door as seth enters the room. hunter hardly smiles but seth knows it's nothing personal. almost everything to hunter is serious but when you do get the chance to see him smile, you'll know he actually does have feelings. unfortunately, seth isn't anyone too important to witness that on a regular. its alright, though. he doesn't have the mood to smile either. 

but hunter does smile when he closes the cabinet door and seth has to force one out in return. his mentor gestures for him to take a seat on the chair he had apparently prepared and positioned next to him and it's then that seth realizes that his very first client would be stepping through that door very, very soon. 

"you ready for the big thing, rollins?" hunter asks, a clap on seth's shoulder as he takes a seat in his chair. 

seth nods with a chuckle, at ease with the knowledge that hunter will have his back on this one. "ready as i always, sir." 

hunter laughs and he's nodding as well, preparing some papers with a content sigh. "i believe in you, seth. you'll do good on this one." 

just as hunter finished speaking, there's a knock at the door and his secretary enters with a smile. seth knows her as summer but has never gotten the chance to properly talk to her. perhaps some day when he's feeling more social. summer smiles at them both and announces that their client has arrived, hunter quickly telling her to send them in. 

seth checks once through the papers he's prepared for this meeting and only looks up when he hears the familiar, husky yet soft voice, his own pair of eyes finding ones that belong to nikki bella. 

there's no explaining the way a smile quickly finds its way across his face but seth is grinning as he stood on his feet just as hunter did, taking bella's offered hand as a greeting. 

"didn't know we'd meet again so soon, rollins." nikki says, her smile wide as she takes a seat opposite them. 

hunter's eyebrows raised while both he and seth settle down on their seats as well. "you two know each other?" 

"college friends," both seth and nikki respond, the bella laughing softly when hunter nods in acknowledgement. 

"then i believe we'll work together pretty well on this one, miss bella." 

nikki and seth share a glance and then nikki's smiling again at hunter. "i don't doubt it at all, mr helmsley." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

dean guesses he'd have to save up the twenty bucks roman had slipped into his hand earlier that day for a week's worth of break time. being broke sucks and if dean isn't already used to it, he would probably break down. 

he's seated now in a cheap ass café with a stale cup of coffee he's planning to abandon when his break time is over. he's got seventeen bucks now after buying that coffee and terribly regretting it because now his mouth feels weird. he sighs, clicking his tongue and slipping the cash notes into his pocket. leaning back against his seat, dean closes his eyes to take a silent moment, tuning everything else out in hopes of getting some peace of mind. 

he manages to do just that until he hears the sound of doors opening and closing, cursing silently for failing to tune that out. he gets another second of peace when he hears that voice; that voice he would recognize anywhere. his heartbeat escalates and he contemplates on whether or not he should open his eyes, wondering if he had imagined it out of nowhere. 

but when he hears it again, this time calling /his/ name, dean knows he hasn't imagined it. 

"dean?" 

he opens his eyes and there right in front of him is april mendez, the girl he'd at some point thought he would marry, grinning at him with a mixed look of surprise and relief. 

/fuck me./


	4. Chapter 4

roman glances at his watch to take note of the time as he drives towards the city for a dinner date with paige. she'd refused his offer to pick her up, saying she would meet him at the restaurant they had gone to on their very first date at 7pm sharp. he smiles at the memory, amazed that it had been exactly four years since he had kissed her. 

a bump-in with one of his students' aunt at a school's football match had given him the will to be seeing someone again after three years being on his own. moving on from brie bella hadn't been easy but meeting paige knight felt close to a complete miracle. suddenly the colors are brighter and the stars light up dark nights, no matter how corny that sounds. after weeks of lunch dates and accidental bump-ins that roman is still certain weren't exactly accidental ( paige had definitely made sure to be the one sending her nephew to his footfall practices after she'd spilled soda all over roman that one important match ), he had finally picked up his courage to ask her out on a proper date, kissed her when he sent her to her front door that night. 

it's their fourth year tonight and he had showered and put on as little cologne as he could ( paige prefers him without ). it's been lingering in his head to pop the question to her sometime soon but he has to make sure she's completely ready. after all, she is still prolonging her studies in law school and he wouldn't want to be the reason her dream to be a lawyer crashes just because he wanted to settle down and maybe, you know, have kids. he's already reaching the age of thirty-two but paige is only in the midst of her twenties. surely she wouldn't want to be settling down too early. 

he clicks his tongue as he pulls into the parking area just in front of Cesaro's, killing the engine and getting out of the car. it's a pretty crowded night and the place is nearly filled up. it isn't a very classy place to take a woman out on a first date, but paige had loved the buttered chicken grill, no matter how much she despises butter. plus, roman and the the owner of the place, cesaro, had grown up in the same neighborhood so it doesn't hurt to give some support. it was a good date and a good night anyway. 

the smell of mouthwatering food quickly showers over him the moment he enters the place, greeted by wait ladies even though they're busy getting around to different customers at different tables. he's comforted with the feeling of familiarity of the place; lights slightly deemed but place made lively by the voices of everyone in the room. 

roman manages to find an empty table, taking another look at his watch only to see that he's five minutes earlier. he refuses one of the wait ladies' service offer when they slithered over to take his order, telling her he's waiting for someone before he orders anything. naomi, the wait lady he's gotten to recognize from the amount of times he'd come here, gives him a knowing look, having seen him with paige a couple times. he returns it with a sheepish grin. 

paige sticks to her words, as always. his girlfriend arrives at exactly 7pm, entering the place while her gaze searches for him. he would have raised his hand to get her attention if only his own isn't occupied with taking in just how beautiful she looks. 

clad in a light brown tight-fit sleeveless top tucked into her high-waisted jeans, paige adorns the black, diamond pendant choker she knows he likes her in around her neck. her heels bring her a tad bit taller and her make-up dark as always, black hair dipped in ash-grey at the tips a contrast to her pale skin. 

and of course, she decided it's the perfect night to not put on her bra, perky nipples so plainly in sight against her tight-fit top. 

roman swallows. hard. 

without realizing it, paige has already spotted him, slipping into the seat opposite his and wearing a teasing smile that only tells roman she's aware of the effect she has on him. she grins at him, bouncy in her seat as her hands clutch at his forearm. 

"i missed youuuuu," she says, letting go of his arm only to card her fingers through her hair, still wearing her grin. 

one of roman's brows raise, gaze fleeting towards her chest briefly and noting how deep the cut of her sleeve hole is, so much that her top only covers the most of her chest, nubs and torso. "do you need a jacket?" 

paige frowns, back straightening up and hands cupping her breasts as if to adjust them. "im good, thank you. you like me in this, don't deny it, roman." 

he laughs, reaching over to gently caress her cheek. "i do. you look beautiful, princess." 

"ew," paige snorts but the smile is back on her lips. "don't call me that. im not a princess. if im anything, im starving. you best have not eaten anything yet." 

he responds with a scoff and a shake of his head. "no, 'course not. i haven't eaten since lunch." 

"good," she smiles at him, raising a hand to call over a wait lady. "it's our special night so im eating /a lot/, just so you know." 

and he does know but that's okay, he's come fully prepared. his voice is teasing when he speaks and paige only rolls her eyes though her smile stays on. "don't throw up in my mouth when we make out later though." 

she snickers after, laughing softly. "can't promise." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

he half wishes april hadn't called him out while he's in his space out moment. perhaps he wouldn't have even known she was within a hundred meters from him. but now she's seated opposite him and his break is over in five minutes and dean thinks he wouldn't be able to make it back to work on time. fuck it, mike's already used to his timing anyway. 

after greeting her back, dean had seated straight while she asks if she could join him, a plate of her favorite oreo cheesecake placed just next to his coffee. he guesses some things really don't change. her love for the dessert goes way back and dean scolds himself for even remembering. of course he hadn't been able to say no, and she had smiled and easily taken the empty seat in front of him. 

"the oreo cheesecake back at our usual place don't taste the same anymore," april breaks the silence with a chuckle, taking a forkful of cake into her mouth. "about a month ago i had a stressful breakdown and my craving went crazy so like, i stopped at the first cafe i saw and this happened to be it." 

dean doesn't know what to say or how to react. should he laugh it off? should he ask her what happened? should he even be here right now? he takes a moment too long in silence that april begins speaking again. 

"how are you, though? i haven't seen you in forever. thought you left the country like you always said you would." she says with a playful tone, gaze lifted up to meet his. 

he chuckles, wrapping fingers around his cup of coffee and opting to stare into the black liquid inside instead. "got some people im staying around for. and what do you expect a college drop out to be doing out of the country? there's nothing for me out there." 

"of course there is," april disagrees, placing her fork down onto her plate. "maybe it'll come to you one day. there are a lot to see, you know? you should go to japan when you get the chance, just a suggestion." 

her laughter still sounds as sweet as he remembers and dean couldn't fight back his own. he nods as if to welcome her recommendation, knowing well japan isn't somewhere he would be anytime soon. it pains him now how close they are but things are no longer how it was before. and it was getting suffocating so dean clears his throat and shifts about, rubbing his palms on his jeans. 

"i should be going now. i have to get back to work." he says, glad that he didn't have to lie. 

april's smile fades briefly before it returns, mouth turning a small 'o' as she stops him from leaving just yet, rummaging through her bag for something. "since we bumped into each other, i thought i should give you this." 

from her bag, she retrieves what looks to be an invitation card and hands it to him. he takes it with a frown he didn't know had formed on his forehead, opening up the seal to see that it was a wedding invitation. as if he couldn't believe what he had just read, dean looks over to april questioningly. 

she's smiling at him when she explains, happy to tell him just exactly what that is. "im getting married, dean. i hope roman and seth will make it too. tell them they're invited." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

"you look like you're going to throw up, babe." roman whispers to a sated-looking paige, her plate now empty and drink half finished. 

she groans softly, a hand rubbing her belly and it's enough to tell roman she's regretting eating too much, the gesture making him laugh softly as he uses the napkin to wipe at his mouth. he hums to get her attention, placing the napkin down and taking clasping his hands together on the table. "there's something i've been wanting to ask you." 

paige perks up immediately, sitting up from her slouching position as her eyes brighten up just a tad, a smile already curling at her lips. "what is it?" 

"well," roman starts and he couldn't help the grin that's already stretching at his own lips. he wonders if she would have that same expression once he asks about marriage. "we've been together for awhile, haven't we?" 

she nods at this, waiting patiently for his real question. she looks adorable when she's this excited; it makes roman's insides churn happily, a kind of swelling in his heart from the love he bears for her. "i was just thinking if you're, you know, ready to settle down." 

"like, getting married?" her teeth sinks down onto her bottom lip in the way roman knew to be her attempt to bite back a wider grin. 

his own cheeks are hurting from his own grinning and he parts his lips to speak only to have his attention stolen by someone who's calling his name. his gaze shifts over on instinct, finding brie just at the entrance indicating that she had just entered the place. paige's smile is gone when she turns back around from checking who it was and roman misses the excited look she had just mere seconds ago. he's almost mad at brie. 

of course, it isn't her fault. 

brie's lips are curled into a smile as she approaches them and roman had to wear one as well out of courtesy. paige forces a smile too, allowing brie to give her a brief hug in greeting. 

"didn't know we'd be seeing each other soon," brie says with a laugh and paige's own is obviously fake; roman has to chuckle at that. 

"did you come alone?" roman asks, the question obviously displeasing paige when she kicks at his shin under the table. 

brie nods, "mm, i got hungry and felt like i could get something from here. am i interrupting something, though? i'd hate to ruin a private moment." 

paige is quick to respond to this, grabbing at her purse and standing up from her seat with a hand held out for roman to take and he does almost instantly. "we were just about to leave, actually. you can take our seat if you'd like, but i wouldn't cause you know? dirty tables and such. haha. we'll see you -" 

roman's standing up just as paige pauses mid-sentence and a frown forms on his forehead when her expression changes and suddenly she's coughing out, throwing up everything she'd eaten all over the front of brie's expensive looking top. he naturally immediately checks on her in concern, grabbing napkins on their table and handing it to paige so she could wipe at her mouth. 

in the midst of his concern for paige, he'd forgotten about brie and when he looks over at the bella, she looks like she's close to bursting into tears, arms spread apart to keep her hands away from her dirtied clothes with everyone else's attention on the three of them. 

"im so sorry," paige breathes out, looking mortified before she's moving and dashing out of the place. 

roman's quick to follow but he pauses when he once again remembers brie. he doesn't get to say anything when she starts tearing up but in all honesty he only wants to leave and chase after paige. he's rescued by naomi when she comes over with a handful of napkins to help brie with and roman thanks her with a nod, taking the chance to go look for paige. on his way out, however, he remembers the bill and curses almost a little too loudly. he pays up quickly while managing to keep a calm demeanor, making sure to leave a couple bucks for naomi for serving them. 

he doesn't find paige by his car so the first thing he thought to do is dial her number, listening to the ringing until he feels arms wrap around his waist from behind. roman turns around without having to guess who it is, recognizing her touch almost immediately as his hands cup her cheeks, checking to see if she's alright but she's speaking even before he could ask. 

"does my breath smell like puke now?" she asks, a pout on her lips as she keeps her arms around his waist. "can we still make out later?" 

roman couldn't help the instant smile that curls at his lips, leaning down to plant multiple kisses onto her pouted lips. "we can definitely make out. are you alright, though?" 

she's smiling when she returns each of his kisses, nodding her head to assure him that she's okay before she glances over to where brie's left behind. "is she okay?" 

he purses his lips as he, too, glances inside. "ah.. i didn't stay to make sure she is. should i have?" 

he receives a smack on his arm but paige is smiling again, shaking her head and pushing him towards the car before she's hopping into the passenger seat, giggly as roman laughs while he drives them away from the place. 

they might not be going to cesaro's for a while and brie's definitely not going to greet him the next time but roman thinks that might actually be a good thing. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

in all honesty, she feels like shit. 

but it is their fourth year anniversary and paige isn't about to let some i-obviously-cant-move-on-from-you-even-after-7-years ex and a disgusting puke incident ruin the night. her breath doesn't smell like puke and she doesn't feel bad that roman hadn't stayed back to make sure brie's okay. she could get another $700 top the next time she goes shopping anyway. 

paige is pretty certain she hates brie bella. she knows they aren't competitors, that brie is only someone from roman's past while she belongs in his present but why is it that the wench had to appear at the most inappropriate time? roman was talking marriage! what are the odds that he had actually /planned/ to ask her to marry him before brie had come out of nowhere? 

she groans inwardly, making sure roman doesn't notice her frustration. they had stopped by a flower shop and he'd gotten her a bouquet of roses, shared an ice cream cone and he'd fastened a new silver bracelet around her wrist as a gift. in return, paige had gotten him a new watch, realizing earlier that week that his old one was getting just that; old. she had been able to keep all of those bad thoughts at bay until now as he drives back towards her place. 

of course he already notices her uneasiness — they did just celebrated their fourth year, an indication that they did not just know each other yesterday. paige releases a soft sigh when he raises a brow at her questioningly, rephrasing her words in her head before she speaks. 

"first of all, do you have any questions to ask me that, i don't know, probably slipped your mind?" she asks, watching him closely. 

roman looks genuinely confused, shaking his head. "no, i don't think so?" 

paige sighs once again, gesturing towards the side of the road and grateful that they're in the middle of a deserted street. "pull over." 

"what? right now?" 

"yes." 

he does as he's told though a frown is beginning to form on his forehead. paige doesn't hesitate when she moves, gracefully slipping onto his lap and wiping the surprise off his face by kissing him square on the mouth. he's quick to return it, of course, large hands at each side of her waist as one of her smaller ones reach back to let loose his hair from the bun he was sporting, all the while without breaking the kiss. 

she's filled with the need to show him just who he belongs to, though he deserves none of these... punishments, of sorts. if he likes it, it isn't punishment at all, is it? paige thought so with a smirk as roman begins kissing down her throat, her neck tilted back to grant him more access, eyes closed and fingers tugging at his hair while he nips at her skin, sure to leave a mark there so plain in sight for everyone to see. 

his hands are roaming now, moving from her waist to her breast and then his thumb is grazing her perky nub over the thin fabric of her top and she shudders with want. this was how she'd planned to end the night anyway, the very reason why she didn't bother putting on a bra so she'd get the very reaction she wanted to see, though she didn't expect it to be in his car. 

it doesn't matter, though, not when she's leaning down to take her turn in nipping at his stubbled jaw, kissing her way down along his neck and marking her territory just like he had, only a little harder, hoping to send a message. it seems to only please him further. she begins grinding against his crotch, releasing a soft giggle when she feels him already hard against her core. she leans down and kisses him again, biting gently onto his bottom lip while his hips move to grind up against her, the sound of his moan causing a shudder to course down her spine and her want for him only grows. 

his hands work on unbuttoning her jeans and she helps him remove them with the little space she has until she's bare at the bottom before they both work on getting his jeans down to his ankles. paige doesn't waste any time as she wraps her fingers around his cock, kissing him again and swallowing his moans while his hands busy themselves with pushing her top up until it reveals her breasts. as she guides his hard length against her entrance and sinks onto his cock, she moans at the pleasurable sensation of having him fill her up to the brim and his mouth closed around her nipple. 

she makes a quick work on removing her top completely before she resumes bouncing on his cock, fully bared now for him to touch and own. she releases a sharp cry of pleasure when he thrusts up into her, hitting her sweet spot repeatedly before she regains control. she grips at his shoulders and leans forward to create an arch in her back, teeth tugging at his earlobe as she bounces harder and faster, whispering a series of possessive 'mine, mine, mine' into his ear until she comes just seconds before he does, his load filling her up and she doesn't stop until she's milked him dry. 

she collapses against his muscled chest breathlessly when exhaustion finally takes over, burying her face into the crook of his neck as his fingers card through her hair to calm her down. he holds her like this for a little longer until she regains her energy enough to pull away and look at him. he smiles up at her and she returns it before planting a smooch on his lips. 

"happy fourth anniversary, daddy." she says and giggles at the sound of roman's groan, knowing just how much calling him that affects him. 

as she gets dressed, roman starts up the car again, deciding that they should spend the night at his place instead. seth is home when they finally reach the house he shares with roman and dean and paige would have been surprised to see him out in the kitchen if she wasn't too riled up to get roman all over her again. seth only glanced at them, already guessing what they're on to as they disappeared into roman's room. 

in the midst of her blissed out in pleasure as roman pounds into her, paige hopes brie couldn't get the stain of her food remains out of that expensive top, knowing roman belongs to her and her only enough to get her over the edge, pulling him with her as he fills her up a second time that night. 

/fuck off, brie who?/


	5. Chapter 5

working for nikki has been great. a great distraction, a great way to go out and laugh and have a good time instead of what he would have done if he had to stay home. hunter had let him take the lead for this project, though he assures seth that he is right behind if ever he needs assistance. so far, so good, seth thinks. 

she had explained on their first meeting just what she expects from the company; a good, simple design of a house she plans to build from scratch, adding the fact that it's a gift to reward herself for every hardship and obstacle she has had to go through. she had, of course, specifically said it to seth while hunter excused himself to fetch a few more documents and seth took it as a way to inspire the design he would have to come up with. 

it has been a month since nikki came to the office and they had met up on several occasions for further discussion on the project. time spent with her though it was for work purposes had been great, seth would have to admit. she knows just all the right things to say to make him laugh and at night while he attempts to sleep, he finds himself thinking of her, that voice and the way her eyes sparkle when she laughs. 

he misses sasha sometimes but she's rarely on his mind anymore these days and perhaps that's a good thing. it is time for him to move on anyway. he did ask for the separation so he's getting just what he asked for. 

now as he settles down in a middle class restaurant waiting for nikki to arrive for their next project meeting, he frowns as he reads over a text message from dean he had received just seconds before. ambrose had been moody the last couple weeks but knowing him, seth didn't bother asking. he wouldn't be getting any answers and he wonders if paige had tried asking. he knows roman can't be arsed either. if ambrose doesn't want to tell, he won't ever tell. 

but now he's pestering seth about this coming friday night, reminding seth again that it's his turn to treat them all. apparently dean couldn't wait to get drunk and wasted. it must be serious then, seth thinks. 

"im so sorry im late," nikki's familiar voice startles him from his focus on the message, gaze lifting up as an immediate smile colors his lips while he puts his phone away. the bella smiles at him apologetically, taking a seat opposite him before she pushes away a strand of hair that got into her face. 

he has to hold himself back from doing that for her. get a grip of yourself, rollins, he scolds himself, unsure of what's gotten into him. she looks stunning in her blue, bodycon dress, naturally straight hair curled and falling over her shoulders and covering up her chest. she's beautiful, he thinks, failing to hide his smile. 

to his misfortune, she notices his staring and he could see the way her naturally confident expression dissolves into a brief moment of insecurity. she laughs it off, however, glancing down at her dress then back up at him. "do i look bad? i was running late and couldn't find the perfect thing to wear so. you know, grab the first thing and make do." 

"no, no," he disagrees, profusely shaking his head. he's glad he has his hair in a bun, else he would probably look indecent to be seated here with her. he had also opted to wear a simple tee and his jeans too.. definitely underdressed. great. "you look stunning, as always, so don't worry." 

there's a light tinge of pink that brushes her cheeks and seth finds pride in being able to bring out that color in her. he doesn't think it's appropriate to be flirting with his client but what man could help himself from doing just that when he's face to face with nikki bella? only a happily taken man, maybe. and seth isn't a happily taken man. 

it's like a gentle slap in his face; realizing he really is single and if he wanted to kiss nikki right now, he could and nobody would get hurt unless she isn't okay with that and slaps him across his face. come to think of it, seth wouldn't mind nikki bella slapping him. huh. this is weird. what the fuck, rollins? 

"so," nikki breaks the silence, clearing her throat as a ghost of a smile lingers on her lips, pulling him back into the present from his adventures through his own wild thoughts. "i was thinking to add one more room to the house, if that's not too much of a trouble." 

seth shakes his head, clearing his throat as well. "none at all. im sure we could work that one out." and then, playfully he adds, "why the addition though?" 

nikki's laugh, seth decides very quickly, is one of his favorite sounds. "i don't know, actually. i just thought maybe.. you know, if i start a family, i wouldn't have to get a new house." 

he nods his head then and his teasing smile brings another twinkle of laughter from her. "when you do get married though, i hope he buys you a much bigger house for you know, the children and the children's children." 

he doesn't know what got him to say what he did; he only knows that he would probably regret it if she didn't smile at him the way she does now. she grows more beautiful the more she smiles, he thinks. fuck. 

"what about you, though?" she says then, a playful nudge to his knee with her own, her smile teasing as well. "when you get married, will you design a house for the special girl?" 

marriage and seth don't sound too well together. hasn't been since he was younger. he isn't a family man like roman so he's actually surprised roman isn't already married to paige; they sure act like husband and wife. he hums in respond, accepting the possibility of actually finding someone who would make him want to put a ring on it. "most definitely. anything she wants, she gets. as long as i have the means to give it to her." 

nikki's smile widens, red lips bright against her tanned skin. "found that special woman yet?" 

"no, actually," he says simply. "but anything is possible, right? you found the man yet, bella?" 

she rolls her eyes as if the answer is obvious but her precious laughter, once again, makes him smile. "i wouldn't be here planning my very own house if i have, rollins." 

true, he thinks silently. he takes a moment of silence and then without much thinking, the words are already spilling past his lips. "hey, you wanna go out for dinner sometimes?" 

her eyes widen briefly at his bluntness but is quick to compose herself, cheeks pink and red lips stretched into a grin. "that would actually be really nice." 

seth rollins has, surprising even himself, scored a date. sweet. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

april stares at the rows of white wedding dresses displayed just for her, not actually attracted to any one of them. she sighs softly as her fingers trace over the patterns on one of the dresses, glancing briefly at her fiancé who is seated on the couch just waiting for her to finally make a decision. his gaze is soft on her and she knows he would rather be at work finishing up everything he has had to do but chose to accompany her instead. she feels guilty for taking his time to waste on keeping her company when in truth she feels no desire to be choosing the dress she's supposed to wear on their special day. 

bumping into dean ambrose feels like a mistake now as she feels her fiancé's gaze on her, adoring and patient while her mind races with memories of the past she had so buried with a box of the things /he/ had gotten her. ambrose, the man of whom she thought she would share her special day with, the man she hasn't seen since they parted ways nearly a decade ago. what was she thinking when she called out his name? surely he wouldn't have known she was there at all since he was in his usual space-out moment. but she would have known and that would stick with her forever if she hadn't gotten his attention. 

perhaps she shouldn't have, but she did. and now instead of getting excited for her wedding in less than half a year from now, she's thinking of /him/. 

she startles when she feels a strong arm wrap around her tiny waist and her head turns only to meet a pair of lips pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "do you wanna do this another time, sweetheart?" 

pushing all thoughts of dean and their memories to the back of her mind, april wraps her arms around his waist and makes a soft sound of displease, mostly to herself than anything else. "im sorry i took you away from work for this." 

his smile is soft and warm, shaking his head and tapping at the tip of her nose with his index finger. "don't be. we should go get dinner together since im here. kinda starving." 

"when are you not?" she teases with a gentle nudge to his side with her elbow that he responds with a soft, playful 'oof', laughing softly as his fingers lace with hers and he pulls her with him out of the boutique. she thanks their assistant who had helped with the dresses, telling her that they'll reschedule for another time. 

once again pushing all bad and unnecessary thoughts away, april squeezes her fiancé's hand and asks playfully, "so, mr randall orton, what do you feel like eating this fine night?" 

\------------------------------------------------ 

she stirs awake in the morning wrapped up in roman's strong arms, face pressed against his chest and eyes focusing on the little details of his tattoo that covers up the whole of his right arm and pectoral. if it isn't for his stupidly comforting hold, paige would break away. she isn't much of a cuddler but he couldn't fall asleep without holding on to something so she lets him. besides, she feels safe in his arms anyway and it's so easy to forget the rest of the world exists when she's all cooped up in his hold and all she could see and smell is his tribal tattoo and his musky, after-shave scent. 

this, she decides, is home. 

a soft, lazy smile forms on her lips as she nuzzles against his chest, pressing a kiss to his skin and snuggling closer into his hold. she had successfully gotten over the marriage topic, managing to convince herself that the time will come when it really is time. she's already happy where she is anyway and they hadn't bumped into brie bella for the past month. she hopes they never have to ever again. 

she's not sure if she's wearing any clothes and she shifts a little to take a peek underneath the covers. apparently she's in one of his football jerseys too big for her size but it's comfort clothing and anything his is kind of hers. her little movement, however, is enough to wake him and he makes a soft groaning noise as he tightens his arm around her, refusing to let her go just yet. 

a soft chuckle parts her lips as she speaks, though her actions are only a contrast to her words. "i probably should go make breakfast." 

"no," roman mumbles, shaking his head while keeping his eyes closed and pressing his face into her raven hair. "let seth make breakfast. it's saturday. we sleep in on saturdays." 

paige laughs again, tilting her head up to shower his face with kisses and raising a hand to run her fingers through his hair. she parts her lips to speak but then the door is opening and roman's eyes open this time, frowning at the intruder without actually letting go of paige. it's ambrose, when paige lifts her head to check but she stays unfazed, still curled up in roman's arms. 

"the fuck, man? when will you learn to knock the goddamn door? next time i ain't letting paige stop me from breaking your nose." roman complains and paige has to rub at his chest in an attempt to calm him, sitting up and causing his arm to fall away from her. 

dean only rolls his eyes, going over to the window and pulling open the curtains to get the sunlight into the room. roman groans at this, his arm circling around her torso once again as she stays seated. dean's busy chewing what paige knows to be the peanuts he always has a handful of, a habit he picked up when he stopped smoking two years back. 

"rollins' taking us out tonight," dean explains, popping more peanuts into his mouth. "all on him so im getting really fucking drunk." 

paige is about to speak when she feels roman get up, eyes half closed from sleep and a frown on his forehead while his arm stays around paige's waist. "it's fuckin' 10 in the morning, ambrose. we won't be going out til dinner. fuck out, man. im tryin' to sleep." 

the younger male sighs, shaking his head and throwing peanut at roman's face, to which the samoan reacted by nearly getting off the bed if paige hadn't stopped him. dean would probably go out with a broken nose tonight if she lets roman do as he pleases. 

her boyfriend glances at her with an annoyed expression and she only shakes her head at him, watching as he huffs and grabs something off the bedside table, releasing his hold on her to put his hair in his signature bun. she stays silent as she watches him rub sleep from his eyes, flashing him a smile when he looks over to her. he fails to bite back his own grin and she deems her job done. ambrose isn't getting his nose broken today. 

slipping off the bed, paige goes over to the window to draw the curtains back close, knowing how much roman hates this much sunlight when he had just woken up and stealing a peanut from dean's hand. "is seth taking us out earlier or something?" 

"think so," dean responds but his eyes are still on roman and the two don't break eye contact until paige rolls her eyes and goes over to sit on roman's lap, where his legs are already off the bed. dean would have to look away. he almost always despises their PDA. 

she takes this chance to wrap her arms around roman's neck, her lips curled into a smile just at how precious he looks even though he's just woken up. the fact that she's one of the very few people who's able to see him this way pleases her. and brie, of course... once upon a time. paige seethes inwardly. fuck brie. she leans forward then, planting multiple kisses to his lips that he happily returns. 

they don't part even when dean makes a gagging noise, throwing a couple more peanuts at them before he leaves, speaking as he does. "we're leaving in an hour. seth's orders."


	6. Chapter 6

dean's been off for the past couple weeks, something both paige and roman had noticed. she knows roman and seth wouldn't try; they'd known him long enough to know that if there's something he wants to tell, he would tell. if he's quiet then it could only mean one thing. paige, however, isn't roman or seth. over the years she'd grown to love roman's best friends like she would her brothers. they had always been there for her anyway and it was only right for her to do the same. 

even if dean refuses to say anything, surely trying wouldn't hurt anyone? 

after her shower with roman when the room is free of dean ambrose, paige had gotten ready pretty quickly, putting on her usual dark makeup and a white cropped top, hoping silently that she won't be throwing anything up tonight. she's lucky some of her clothes are in his wardrobe from the times she had actually stayed over. one time last year she'd stayed for a month because she was feeling a little too lonely at home, her parents having left for england. she might as well move in but he hadn't asked and she doesn't blame him because he wasn't living on his own. 

roman's not feeling it today, though, so she lets him move about in his own pace, still with a towel wrapped around his waist when she's all up and ready. 

she laughs at one glance of him, shaking her head and wrapping her arms once again around his neck to pull him down for a kiss, his hair still wet against her forearms. "you have fifteen minutes before seth leaves you behind, roman." 

"that's the plan actually," he murmurs against her lips, his smile playful. "if we make out now, you won't have time to get your make up back in place. then we'd have to stay behind." 

paige rolls her eyes with a laugh, gently patting at his bare chest and leaving a kiss onto his tattooed pectoral. "fifteen minutes, roman. i'll see you outside." 

his lips form into a pout, a look so rare on him that she starts laughing, hands cupping each of his cheeks before she plants a smooch onto his lips. he's smiling after he returns the kiss and paige knows he's given in. he nods then, allowing her to move away from him. "i'll be ready in five." 

"you better," paige gives his chest a pat, shooting him a playful wink just as she grabs her purse and leaves the room. 

she finds dean exactly where she wants him to be. while seth is busy moving about apparently looking for something, dean's sitting on the couch in the living room, still popping peanuts into his mouth. the tv isn't on and the guy's lost in his own thoughts. paige drops herself down next to him, staying silent and waiting for him to notice her presence. 

ten seconds in and he's still ignoring her so she signs and rests her cheek in her palm, staring at him. "what's going on in that thick skull of yours, ambrose?" 

dean chuckles, still chewing the damn peanuts. surprisingly to paige, he's actually talking and she didn't even have to try hard. "i mean, i don't think you'd know how it feels but goddamn, it sucks." 

she frowns, keeping her eyes on him. "if you don't tell me, yes, i wouldn't know how it feels." 

he glances at her, popping the last of the peanuts into his mouth. "just you know, having to call someone you didn't want to ever lose be the one that got away." 

she should have known it wouldn't be as easy as it seems, because after saying what he did, he's getting up on his feet and offering her his hand. she takes it without question, letting him help her stand up just as roman leaves the room. her boyfriend seems to still be pretty unhappy with dean because he rolls his eyes when dean lets go of paige's hand with a teasing smirk shot at the samoan. 

the moment is broken when seth walks over in between roman and dean, looking close to having a panic attack as he feels up his jeans pockets. "guys, i think i lost my car keys." 

paige's gaze instantly drops onto seth's hands, where the keys are in his clutch and she looks up at him like he's grown a horn in the middle of his forehead. "seth, they're in your hand." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

 

they wouldn't drop it, obviously. as he drives into the city, dean on the passenger seat and roman and paige in the back, seth rolls his eyes every time they bring up his 'space-out' moment. it was clearly a slip up; he'd been so focused on making sure this day goes nicely to show his appreciation towards his friends for being there for him, but in his haste he had completely missed the fact that he had been holding onto his car keys all along. 

he doesn't show that he's annoyed, however, going along with their teasing by nodding his head and faking a laugh. he isn't going to let anything ruin this nice-looking saturday. he'll bring them to lunch, buy something for paige cause he wants to, dinner and then get drunk as heck. roman will make sure they get home safe; paige wouldn't like him getting drunk, that's seth's and dean's roles in this family. 

family. it makes him smile at the thought. his real family are back in davenport and dean's in ohio. even roman's are in florida. they're all over the place, the reason why they became friends at all when they decided they could rent a house together back in college days. and when paige had come into the picture, seth learned that most of her family are back in england, so they had welcomed her in with open arms. she'd been like a little sister since. and now even if roman had asked her to move in, seth wouldn't mind, though he heard once on their one of their boys' night out that roman plans to get a place for just the two of them. dean didn't seem too please to be left a duo with seth, to which seth had teasingly clapped him on his shoulder and laughed. 

to be really honest, though, seth would miss roman and paige and their disgustingly cute relationship when they do leave. they are, including dean, his family after all. 

lunch was quick, with dean eating too much and paige too little. when he asked, she had shared a look with roman and they had laughed, said something about throwing up all over brie bella about a month ago on their fourth anniversary. they made fun of her poor expensive top but honestly seth thought about nikki and how nikki must have felt about it. she never brought it up so he guesses he isn't in trouble for it. perhaps roman is, and paige, definitely. 

dean complained about being too full when they did some window shopping, paige being the only one actually excited because apparently she hadn't gotten the chance to shop for the last couple of weeks and dean and seth had shot roman a playful, accusing look. the guy looked defeated and paige had laughed and kissed her boyfriend. eventually seth got paige a pair of new trainers she'd fallen in love with when they walked passed the store. roman's question was silent, a brow raised, and seth had put up his hands in defensive mode and explained that paige deserved a gift for being great. 

roman didn't ask anymore. 

they skipped dinner altogether and now he finds himself seated in a bar slowly filling up with people, dean next to him with paige and roman opposite them. dean is looking sullen all of a sudden, not drinking at the glass of beer he had ordered and simply staring into the liquid. seth looks over to roman questioningly and the samoan only shrugs his shoulders. it was paige who speaks up, accidentally nudging at seth's leg when she had intended to nudge at dean's. 

"you should drink up, ambrose." she says and dean looks up at her, lifting the glass and taking a long gulp of the beer. 

roman had not too surprisingly ordered a soda instead, sipping at the drink while he looks at the exchange between his girlfriend and friend. the crowd is filling up the dance floor now and the music's slowly increasing in volume, lights dimmed. seth bobs his head to the beat of the song playing, eyes scanning the place as he contemplates on whether or not he wants to dance tonight. 

he squints his eyes when he thought he saw someone familiar, the darkened place making it hard for him to see properly. he recognizes the dark hair though and that dress he's seen her in all those years ago. in fact, wasn't he there when dean bought that dress for her? a grin colors his lips when he finally catches on to the name that belongs to the girl. april mendez, was it? 

he nudges at dean's elbow to get his attention. "isn't that april, man? tell me im not seeing things." 

all three of his friends look up to see where he's pointing and seth's pretty sure he heard dean sigh. roman turns back around to look at dean and paige looks a little confused until realization hits her. she has never met april before but seth and roman had mentioned it to her that it was dean's long time ex. 

they watch as dean slips a hand into his leather jacket to retrieve a card, tossing it onto the table as he speaks. "you were asking about it earlier at home, paige. that's what's going on in my thick skull." 

paige takes the card and squints in the dark to be able to read what was written in it. seth watches as roman leans in to read as well and then the samoan's looking at dean almost apologetically. a little lost, seth takes the card from paige to read it. it takes him only a second to know that it's an invitation card to a wedding, another second to read the names of the future bride and groom. 

'the honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of Randall Keith Orton & April Jeanette Mendez.' 

it pierces at his heart as if he was the one who had been in love with april. dean is his brother though, and he knows how bad the time was for dean when they had to break up. parents wouldn't have a college drop out for a son-in-law, dean had explained. and who doesn't know an orton? one of the biggest entrepreneurial company america has ever known. randall is orton's firstborn; obviously the mendez family had welcomed him with open arms. poor dean. 

"oh great," dean says then and seth places the card down before he looks up only to see april approaching them. 

seth, unlike dean, is a master of pretense. he easily wears a smile when april reaches their table, standing up to give her a brief hug in greeting, watching as roman does the same before april and paige share a wave. 

dean, next to him, downs the rest of his beer. 

"it's such a nice coincidence meeting you guys here," april says then, eyes glancing occasionally at dean. "but since you're all here, i thought it'd be nice to have you guys over at my party next saturday." 

"oh, we're always up for a party," seth chuckles, looking for roman's support and smiling wider when the samoan vocally agrees. 

april's smile widens and then she turns towards roman, "are you still with brie? i haven't been able to keep contact with her so it'd be nice to have her come over as well. 

seth watches, mortified, at the way roman's lips parted, obviously at a loss and it's paige who speaks next. "brie bella's not associated to my boyfriend anymore, sorry." 

dean chortles and seth bites back a laugh at the sarcasm in paige's voice. april had been so clueless and now she probably won't make it to paige's nice book. 

"i am so sorry," april winces, clearing her throat. "but anyway, please do come. im sure you know where the mcmahon's lounge is, right? we've rented a place there for the night." 

the mcmahons happen to be seth's boss's in laws. he knows stephenie mcmahon as hunter's wife and he's been to their lounge a couple times himself. he nods at april to tell her that they'll be there and she smiles before giving them a wave as she leaves. 

"/are you still with brie?/" paige immitates april's voice with a roll of her eyes, her accent thick laced with her annoyance. "ugh. when will i stop hearing that name? first she keeps popping up out of nowhere and now her name keeps coming up for no apparent reason. bloody bullocks." 

seth laughs as roman's arm wraps around paige's shoulders, watching as the samoan presses a kisses into the ravenette's hair. he turns towards dean then and the guy only heaves out a long breath, beer finished and looking definitely uneasy. 

"i need to get some shots," dean says, slipping out of his seat, stopping only when paige grabs at his hand and slips out of her seat as well. 

"i think me too, need to get all this piss off out of my system." she mumbles just loud enough for them to hear, following dean to the bar. 

roman sighs then, running a palm down his face. seth only pats at his arm, unable to bite back a smile at everything that's going on. it seems as though as soon as things look up for him, they go down for his friends. he only hopes the brie issue between roman and paige don't get serious and that dean will eventually accept the fact that april's getting married to someone else. 

as for seth... well, seth rollins is going out on a date with nikki bella tomorrow night. things are definitely looking up for him. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

it doesn't please her one bit that the bella name was mentioned tonight. it's come to a point that it isn't funny anymore and those stupid insecurities are coming back to her at full-blow. and she hates it because she's upset at roman for no apparent reason; he has obviously got nothing to do with brie anymore, yet every time she pops up or her name comes up, paige couldn't stop thinking about the fact that roman was with brie for seven years. 

seven years. what does she and roman have to compare to that? they had been together for only four years and she's probably still a kid compared to him. he wouldn't even ask her to move in with him. she wonders to what kind of lengths brie and roman had reached when they were together, wonders if they had planned to have children, to get married and get their own house. wonders what changed their minds when they decided to go separate ways. wonders if she's just a substitute for brie and not really what roman wants. 

the thoughts weigh heavy on her chest as she stares out the window while seth drives them home. she stays in roman's arms but refuses to talk, the car silent save for the music seth turns on from the radio. dean is probably half asleep at the front and seth is focused on the road. paige feels close to tears. 

she manages to blink back any embarrassing and stubborn tears, choking back a sob as she clears her throat, deciding that she would need a time alone without roman tonight. "could you send me to my place, seth?" 

she feels roman's questioning gaze but doesn't turn to look at him. none of it is his fault and she would hate for him to think that it is. there's no way that she would fall asleep without shedding a tear or two though, and she couldn't do that while roman is next to her. she breathes out calmly, glancing at him to flash him a brief smile. 

"are you sure, baby?" roman asks, raising a hand to brush hair off her face. "it's real late though. i don't want you sleepin' on your own." 

"yeah, paige," seth chimes in, looking at her through the rearview mirror. "just crash at ours for tonight. roman will send you back in the morning." 

paige shakes her head, squeezing gently at roman's arm. "no, it's alright. i just remembered something i have to get done that's due monday. and im not that tired yet so i should get started." 

roman doesn't buy it. she wouldn't either if he told her the same thing but the lie would have to do for now. she breathes out in relief when seth turns the car towards her apartment and before long he's pulling over for her. she gives seth a kiss on the cheek and one on dean's as well, thanking them for the night before hopping off the car. roman follows, of course, into the lobby of her apartment building and she has to stop when his hand circles her wrist. 

"you wanna tell me what's goin' on, paige?" he asks, voice gentle and eyes searching for hers. 

she refuses to meet his gaze, failing slowly by the second to hold back her tears. her vision blurs and roman pulls her into his arms as soon as he notices her tear-filled gaze. 

"im sorry," she says, bursting into embarrassing tears and mumbling into his shirt. "it just gets too much sometimes. it hurts here." she clutches at her chest, pulling away so she could look up at him. 

"paige," he starts, large hands cupping her face. "you know i only love you. there's only you in here." one of his hands takes hers to place over his chest and then he's leaning in to kiss her forehead. "i love you." 

god, it's so easy to feel okay again at his simple words. and just like that the weight lifts off her chest a little and she manages a nod, leaning up to kiss him on the lips. "i love you too, roman. i'll call you tomorrow, okay? goodnight and dream of me." 

roman doesn't look much at ease but he seems to leave it for now. he nods then, smiling at her assuringly before he kisses her again. "goodnight, baby. lock your door and go to sleep, hm? i'll see you soon." 

she nods to assure him, smiling just as the elevator doors open. she enters it then and waves at him again until the doors close. at home once she has her doors locked, make up washed off and clothes discarded, she cries again, hating herself for letting those insecurities get to her and hoping with all her heart that it wouldn't happen again. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

she woke up the next morning from a dream of little romans and paiges, it honestly being the very thing that made paige's morning. she had slept surprisingly peacefully even though roman wasn't next to her and spent a couple of minutes just recalling the dream she had. someday they'll create those beautiful children and paige could want nothing more. 

as promised, she called roman and they made plans to meet up at a café for breakfast. he must have gone for his weekly work out at the gym if he's up this early but paige thought it'd be nice to catch up with him after her embarrassing breakdown last night. 

she had gotten the cab, not in the mood to drive and let the traffic ruin her morning. fortunately for paige, it isn't a torture to grab one and she reaches the place in record time. after paying up the cab fee, she thanks the driver and leaves the vehicle with a smile, somehow excited to tell roman about the dream she had. 

today, apparently, isn't one of her good days either. because when she turns to head towards the café, her eyes caught sight of her boyfriend, beautiful tanned skin glowing under the sun and a smile on his face as he shares a hug with a woman whose skin isn't much different from him, whose beauty is unquestionable, whose heart had belonged to roman once upon a time. 

brie bella, at that moment, looked perfect standing next to roman. and paige's heart cracks at the realization. 

she didn't walk up to him until brie is gone, walking into the café and finding him already seated inside as she wears the biggest smile she could fake when she gives him a kiss. 

it isn't his fault, she reminds herself. she should trust his feelings for her, yet a voice inside her head tells her that no, it isn't his fault if somewhere in his heart still lives brie bella.


	7. Chapter 7

"is roman an asshole? cause i was set on thinking he is but i saw him earlier and he's still just so nice-" 

brie's talking but nikki could hardly hear her, too focused on putting on her make up and making sure she shows enough chest but not too much. it's sunday and seth rollins is meeting up with her at six today. she's excited for their first date, having thought about seth most of her free time. who would have even thought, right? they hadn't met in so long and that night at the greasy joint was apparently the first of many. 

she hopes this.. thing that's going on between them won't affect the building of her new house. when she had entered hunter helmsley's office that day, she didn't expect to see seth rollins next to the architect her parents had recommended her to. in summary it had all went nicely — it was nice to be working with someone she's familiar with. 

the past month had been a constant series of good days, meeting seth at lunch to discuss their project until the last time they met and he had asked her out. nikki finds herself smiling at her own reflection in the mirror, hand holding her lip gloss and halfway applying it to her lips. 

"you aren't listening to me, are you?" brie complains from where she's lying down on nikki's bed, sitting up with a huff. 

nikki looks over at her twin in the mirror, an apologetic smile on her lips. "im sorry, what were you saying?" 

brie sighs loudly, rolling her eyes. "i was wondering if i should think roman is an asshole for leaving me behind at cesaro's. who are you going out to see, anyway?" 

"roman is an asshole for leaving you in the first place," nikki inputs, putting on her lip gloss and smacking her lips together, pleased with how her make up turns out to be. "and i didn't tell you? must have slipped my mind. seth rollins asked me out to dinner." 

she gets off her dressing table to straighten up her bodycon dress. she's chosen to wear a black one this time, with crisscrossed design on her chest and leaving her hair straightened. brie walks over to her, giving her look a once over. "you're going out with seth rollins, a friend of roman's, and forgot to tell me?" 

nikkie sighs, running a hand down her hair to smooth it out. "brie, im not dating roman. and im not even dating seth. it's dinner and i simply forgot to mention it to you. besides... brie, shouldn't you be moving on from roman already? it's been seven years." 

brie's lips part to speak but she stops herself and nikki knows she's right. she grabs her purse and gives brie a kiss on the cheek, her twin smiling at her a little sadly. "you're right, nikki. i really should. i hope you have a good night, hm? and take care of yourself." 

"I will, don't worry." nikki assures her twin, walking out of the door while brie follows. "i'll be home pretty late though so don't wait up." 

"don't hook up with rollins, though," brie says teasingly, a laugh following her words. "i heard he's not that impressive in bed." 

nikki laughs as she puts on her heels, rolling her eyes. "im tempted to hook up with him just to prove you wrong." 

"defensive already? you've got it bad for this guy, nicole." 

she smiles then, thinks about the countless amount of times seth had been able to make her smile and laugh so easily and blows a kiss to her sister. "i might have found the one." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

his head is still throbbing from last night's drinking, though he didn't get as wasted as he planned. somehow april seems to constantly come up out of nowhere since that first time they met again at the café. and now she expects him at her party that he didn't even agree to go to. fuck rollins. if he had just kept quiet, then the decision won't be made. 

dean groans out of frustration, rubbing at his face to stop himself from thinking too much of /her/. he's been spacing out a lot since she came back into his life and it isn't helping him when it comes to working. mike, his manager, had given him two warnings and the third one would probably cost him his job. 

"rough night?" a voice penetrates the silence of the slowly darkening evening. dean turns around from his spot where he had been standing for the past fifteen minutes, finding his friendlier colleague, mark, walking towards him. 

he chuckles humorlessly, rubbing at his jaw. "rough year, actually." 

mark laughs, and dean has to admit that he quite enjoys the guy's presence. mark's a happy, donut-loving, black man who looks like he's passionate about working at the gas station but dean guesses that's what his life goal should be; being happy with what he does for a living. mark seems to be leading a good one. 

"don't we all have that at least once in our lives?" mark asks with another chuckle, shaking his head. "but don't worry, man, it always gets better. you don't believe it now but it does." 

dean nods, not entirely believing his colleague but he is in no mood to retaliate. "we'll see about that, henry. we'll see." 

their moment of silence is interrupted by the oh-so-annoying and familiar voice of their manager, mike. "hey, you lazy asses!!" 

dean rolls his eyes and mark mutters something under his breath dean couldn't catch. he turns around to see a very angry-looking mike, storming over to them, red in the face. he must have had a real bad time with a customer inside. dean keeps his smirk as he faces his manager. 

"im telling you now, ambrose, if i give out a final warning you're fucking fired!" the guy spits out, getting the attention of everyone close enough to hear him. dean doesn't get to say anything as mike begins to walk away, spitting out angry words at no one in particular. "im the manager here, so i have the right to fire anyone i want to!" 

he watches as mike storms off and in his anger, he forgets that the door to his office is a pull to open, pushing and bumping into it nose first. dean doesn't hide his laughter, making sure mike hears him. he shares a look with mark after mike disappears into his office, about to speak when a car pulls over his stop. 

naturally, dean goes over to assist, noting the driver's order and proceeding to fill up the car's gas. it's as he fills it up that he hears that voice calling his name again and dean has to stop himself from banging his head against the top of the car. the owner of the car must be orton then. he should have guessed. he turns around to see april smiling at him, forcing one back at her. 

he doesn't give her the chance to speak as he leaves the gas there, bending down to level with orton and telling him that payment will have to be made inside as if the guy didn't already know. randall raises his brows questioningly but only nods his head after. dean smiles then, patting the roof of the car before he starts walking away from the girl who seems to still want to stick around in his life. he ignores april's calls, going straight to the back of the gas station where he usually hangs to eat up the packet of peanuts he'd bought. he didn't even know why he stopped smoking. 

april follows him, of course, and dean couldn't stop himself from showing his obvious annoyance. he abandons the peanuts he'd left at the table there from earlier break, sighing softly as she walks up to him. 

"listen, dean," she begins and he waits, brows raised almost challengingly. "if you really don't want to see me ever again, please just tell me." 

he's surprised by how easily he manages to respond. "i don't wanna see you, mendez." 

hurt flashes in her dark brown eyes and dean clenches his jaw to stop himself from taking back what he just said. she did leave him all those years ago, he has the right to stay mad at her. how dare she come back like nothing ever happened? how dare she invite him to a wedding /they/ were planning to make happen before she decides her parents were right? that she does deserve someone more than just a college drop out? how fucking dare she? 

april's jaw clenches as well and she takes in a deep breath before speaking again. "im sorry, for coming back into your life when you don't want me to. but dean.. i.. since that first time we met again, i haven't been able to stop thinking about you." 

he's speechless. at least the feeling's mutual there; she hadn't really left his mind either. he keeps quiet, however, not willing to let her know just how much she's affecting him. 

she sighs again, closing the gap between them each step she takes. "i kept thinking about you. about what you're doing, if you've eaten, if you're sleeping well." 

"get back out there, april." dean stops her, a hand raised to stop her from coming any closer to him, afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself. "get back to orton." 

he expects her to give up, to leave him there the way she had when he had to drop out of his most important year, but instead she closes the last of the gap between them. she cups his face and suddenly he could feel familiar soft lips on his own and it's what he fears as he kisses her back, taking her small frame into his arms just like how they used to be. he only lets go when she parts from him, looking as surprised as he feels as she touches her lips. 

"im so sorry," she says, voice shaking and close to tears. "im sorry, i've gotta go." 

without saying another word, april's already rushing away and dean goes over only to see her disappear into orton's car. his mind reels and his heart races, what the fuck just happened? 

\------------------------------------------------ 

seth rollins looks... incredibly handsome, nikki thinks as she steps out of her car after he opens the door for her. he's clad in a button down shirt and black pants, hair left loose and not in the bun she usually sees him in. his beard is neatly trimmed and she could smell a faint scent of his after-shave underneath the light cologne he'd put on. 

she smiles at him as he offers her his hand, taking it willingly and allowing him to lead her into the restaurant he'd booked for the night. she feels a little dizzy with excitement and couldn't remember the last time anyone made her feel this way. it's been awhile since she and john split up and no one since him has been able to get the butterflies in her belly to stir up again. until seth, of course. 

dinner goes greatly, with him easily taking things lightly and making a playful joke about nearly everything. she probably wouldn't be laughing if it was anyone else though. but he's been able to make her tear up from laughter and it's the most inappropriate nikki bella has been in a fine-dining restaurant. 

she happens to love it. 

"wanna see something cool?" he asks as they make their way out of the restaurant. 

he has a hand on the small of her back and it's warm where his fingertips rest on her against her dress. her cheeks are heating up as she tries not to smile a little too wide. she teases him back, cool and calm. "depends on how cool that something is." 

"well," seth laughs softly, leading her towards his car and not giving her a chance to ask about her own. "you wouldn't know unless you see it, of course. so, wanna see it?" 

nikki's smile is beginning to hurt her cheeks and she remembers brie's playful 'don't hook up with rollins, though', biting back a grin as she climbs into his car anyway. she waits for him to get into the car as well, speaking only when he's fastened his seatbelt. "do i even get a choice, rollins?" 

seth grins at her, shaking his head. "no, not really. you'll like it, though. i promise." 

she couldn't help but notice that it was the first promise he's ever made to her before scolding herself for even thinking he would make any more. it's just the way he's smiling at her, the way he makes her feel like maybe, just maybe, love is for her. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

he kept his promise effortlessly and nikki thinks she's fallen in love, which is ridiculous because nikki bella doesn't fall in love this easily and who is seth rollins to change that? a man with a great sense of humor, a man with a career, a man who makes her smile and makes her laugh, /that's/ who he is. 

she finds herself seated now next to him on the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in new york, overlooking the rest of the city and the sea. she has to admit that it is pretty cool and it reminds her of her time back in high school, when the first boy who had kissed her brought her up to the school's rooftop just to ask her to prom. 

that's exactly how seth rollins makes her feel; like a school girl crushing hard on a boy. 

"i come here sometimes," seth is saying, their thighs pressed against each other. "when things get rough and you need a peace of mind, it's a nice place to be." 

she hums softly, watching the way he looks up at the darkened sky. she wishes she could kiss him. "it seems like it. do things get rough often though?" 

seth turns his head to look at her, his smile warm. "it really depends. sometimes it gets super rough that i don't even have the energy to come up here." 

she laughs with him, looking away for once. "if it ever get rough again, i hope you'll let me help you cheer you up." 

he's silent for a moment and nikki fears she had ruined it all before she turns to face him only to see that he's smiling at her, an adoring gaze in his dark eyes. "i don't think there'll be space for things to get tough when you're here." 

her cheeks burn at his words but she doesn't look away from him. he feels so close yet so far away and she couldn't believe how shy she's become unlike the bold, confident nikki bella who would kiss anyone she wanted to kiss. her gaze falls onto his lips and it almost feels as though he's moving closer until she realizes that he actually is. she alternates her gaze between on his lips and back into his eyes while she leans forward. at the first touch of his surprisingly soft lips on her own, nikki closes her eyes and lets him take the lead. 

he does, and they exchange a couple more kisses before he pulls away to smile at her, to which she easily returns. his voice is whispered when he speaks, a teasing tone laced with it. "is this cool enough for you?" 

a soft laugh parts her lips as she nods, "cooler than i thought." 

he sends her back to where she had left her car and kisses her again and then again. in all honesty, she doesn't want to stop but he makes the decision for them when he pulls away and opens her car door for her. 

"i'll call you, bella." he informs her as she gets into her own car. she smiles up at him and is about to close the door when he stops her. "also, remember april mendez from college? she's getting married real soon and i think there's a party at mcmahons' lounge this saturday. you and brie up for it?" 

nikki recognizes the name immediately. though she and april hadn't been on the best of terms back in college, the past is the past and if seth's going, why shouldn't she? she nods her head then, flashing him the sweetest smile that he returns. "when are we ever not up for a party? we'll be there, rollins." 

"looking forward to it," seth grins, helping her close the door. "drive safe." 

"you too," she blows him a kiss before rolling up the window, driving off back towards the apartment she currently shares with brie. 

it's safe to admit that it's one of the best nights of her life and a second date was promised, even if brie would be tagging along. that's okay, as long as she gets to see rollins. 

maybe she's right, maybe she /has/ found the one.


	8. Chapter 8

they had to force dean to april's party come saturday and it was a pretty tough job to get done. in the end, as always, it was paige who managed to coax him into tagging along. 

roman isn't really in the mood to go but it would be sad to miss time to spend with paige. she had been busy with classes the whole week and didn't stay over at his for even a night. somehow he's got a feeling that she's avoiding him and it isn't because of anything he's done. her insecurities must have gotten the better of her and it's his job to get rid of them, to tell her that she's perfect for him, that she's the one he wants. 

it just stings a bit because it feels as though she doesn't trust him enough but at the same time he knows that it isn't her fault. he hopes the insecurities within her will die out eventually, wishes brie hadn't come back into the picture. though she didn't do anything, her constant presence had brought out this side of paige that roman thought she'd buried years ago. 

she seems better now, though, as they sit in the back of seth's car. her smiles and laughter are genuine and she clings to him as if he would disappear if she doesn't. he lets her, of course; he had missed her this whole week. she looks beautiful too; clad in a black bodycon dress that brings out the curves of her body, revealing just enough amount of chest and that choker around her neck. 

their fingers are laced together as he leans down to kiss her bare shoulder and she responds by returning one onto his forehead. she leans her head onto his shoulder then and he takes this moment to whisper into the soft of her black hair. "i missed you." 

she gives his hand a squeeze, lifting it up to kiss the back of it. "i missed you too. im sorry i've been off this whole week. i needed time to myself for a little." 

"i know," he says with a gentle smile and she looks up at him, rewarding him with a kiss onto his lips. "are you feelin' better?" 

paige nods her head, her smile widening. "much. and i missed you a lot so being away was not worth it." 

he laughs softly, nodding and placing a kiss to her temple just as seth stops the car. dean groans from where he's seated in the front, seeming determined to stay in the car. he receives a gentle punch to his arm from seth and it was paige, once again, who pulls him out of the car. 

roman has been to the mcmahons lounge a couple of times himself, but the beauty of its interior still amazes him each time. classic grey seats decorate the major parts of the room, lights a dimmed yellow-orange. there are already people at the party so they aren't the first ones to arrive. seth seems to be looking for someone and dean's trying hard to blend in with the walls. he eventually parts from them to head to the bar and soon roman sees him downing a couple of shots. 

seth brings both him and paige to greet april, congratulating her for her upcoming wedding. she couldn't stay to chat, however, so even seth disappears somewhere roman couldn't be arsed to find out. he's only surprised when paige pulls him away, walking through the increasing crowd and into a darkened area. 

she's giggly as she presses him against the wall and he doesn't hesitate to kiss her back once their lips meet in a heated kiss. she's moaning softly into his mouth and he chases after her lips when she pulls away. her eyes sparkle with mischief, a look he knows so well after four years of being with her. her lips curl into a soft smirk and she begins kissing at his neck as she slides down his body, getting onto her knees. he groans just at the sight. 

"a reward for daddy," she says then, fingers working on the button and zipper of his jeans. "for being the most patient and kind." 

he's unable to say a word as she pulls out his half-hard cock, tongue lapping at the tip and fingers wrapped around his girth. she spits into her palm and strokes him into full erection and suddenly her mouth's wrapped around him and all roman could do is grip at her hair, tugging at her locks encouragingly as she sucks him off. pleasure shoots at every ends of his nerves, her playful tongue swirling along the underside of his cock, alternating between taking him into her mouth and teasing him with her tongue. he moans out shamelessly, watching the way she begins to bop her head in rhythm as pleasure pools in his stomach and he comes, the thrill of getting caught in public and feel of her wet, heated mouth enough to push him over. 

she swallows it all like the good girl she is, grinning up at him as she zips him back up. his arms wind around her as she gets back onto her feet, lips meeting his and he tastes himself on her tongue. she nuzzles at his cheek then, purring softly. "do i get a special kiss when we get home?" 

he's slightly breathless but he smiles as he speaks against her lips. "most definitely, baby girl." 

another giggle leaves her just before she pulls him out of that darkened area, back into the lights of the party. she smiles at anyone who look their way and in the midst of it, roman locks gazes with seth, his friend wearing a knowing look before rolling his eyes. it's when roman looks away that he realizes paige had stopped walking and her shoulders seemed tense. he parts his lips to ask what's wrong but that's when he hears the bellas' familiar voices. 

roman curses inwardly but his hold on paige's hand tightens, willing for her to let it go, to not let their presence ruin their night. but just as brie turns towards them with a wave of her hand, paige is taking her hand back and walking away, out of the lounge where they're supposed to be. both brie and nikki look confused for a moment but roman doesn't bother greeting them as he follows paige out. 

it seems to him that every night they spend together would not end well, not as long as brie keeps appearing. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

it doesn't hurt her that the bellas are invited to a freaking party. it does hurt her, however, knowing it was probably roman who invited them. her mind is brought back to last sunday when she had seen roman and brie depart from what seemed to be a conversation and the inner voice inside of her yells that it was him who mentioned the party to brie. 

why couldn't he just not do that? he knows how much she despises brie, though she has no reason to except for the fact that brie is a beautiful woman with a career who happened to be roman's long-time ex. paige knows she should let roman be friends with whoever he wants but couldn't he just think of her feelings for a moment? just in the car he'd seemed so understanding towards the distance she was putting between them. 

she doesn't know where exactly she's going but she isn't going to stop walking. he's right behind her, she knows, she could hear him calling out for her. paige only stops when he grabs a hold of her wrist but she wrenches her hand back, breathing heavily as she tries to hold back her tears. 

"why are you upset, paige? what did i do?" he asks and she almost wants to laugh. 

"you invited her, didn't you?" she responds with another question, gaze unwavering. 

roman's brows shot up and his mouth parts to give her an explanation or an excuse, she isn't sure. she just wouldn't allow it. she knows that whatever he says next would melt away her anger and this would only happen again in the future. 

"i saw you two last sunday when we met up for breakfast, roman. you invited her when you knew all along how insecure she makes me feel. for the whole fucking week i spent alone trying to convince myself that im enough for you, that im better than she could ever be but it all felt like im just lying to myself. who am i compared to brie bella? and why the bloody hell is she always around?" she spits out, chest hurting and stubborn tears already staining her cheeks. 

he looks defeated then and paige is tempted to fall into his arms, to let him tell her that it will all be okay but she fights it and stops him from saying anything. "you told me once that everything happens for a reason. then maybe brie coming back into the picture means my time is up." 

panic and hurt flash bright in his grey eyes and paige refuses to let it break down her resolve. she turns around and walks away again, ignoring his calls for her as she flags down a cab and disappears into the vehicle. 

she's going to miss him when she gets home and realize that she doesn't want her time to ever come up, but for now she'll take the moment for herself. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

"i hope roman gets to keep that one," dean is saying, a glass of beer in hand as he sits by the bar next to seth. they'd just seen paige storm out of the lounge with roman tailing behind. "she's bossy and demanding but she makes all of us happy, so he has to like, i don't know, not fuck up." 

seth shoots dean a look, certain that all of these words coming out of his mouth are his sober thoughts that he would only say aloud when he isn't sober. he nods anyway, agreeing with dean. "they'll be okay, i think. roman's a great guy and she's a great woman." 

dean snorts, taking a gulp of his beer. "sometimes greatness don't come together very well but i hope they will be. next time you see brie, rollins, tell her to fuck off." 

at the mention of the bella, seth begins to look around for nikki and when he sees the twins walking over, he makes a quick assumption that it must have been why paige left. he sighs inwardly but couldn't help the grin that instantly colors his lips when he locks eyes with nikki. 

seth could feel dean watching them as nikki leans in and they share a kiss. he'll leave explanation to later, when dean is sober, probably in the morning if he even remembers seeing what he saw. he almost wishes dean isn't too drunk though, because it's mortifying when dean shoots a stink eye at brie, walking away to drop himself onto one of the lounge seats. the bella twins just look confused. 

nikki fits nicely into the frame of his arm and brie, noticing this, excuses herself to join in a group of ladies seth recognizes as some of their old college friends. 

"saw roman's girlfriend run out of here the moment she saw brie," nikki says, turning slightly so she could properly face him. "i hope it's nothing too serious." 

seth shakes his head, pulling away from her to offer her his hand. "she'll be alright. but let's not talk about paige or roman. may i entertain you with a drink?" 

and just like that, the little frown on nikki's forehead disappears and seth's favorite smile curls at her lips. she nods then, taking his offered hand and allowing him to guide her towards the seats dean is occupying. the guy's in one of his space-out moment so seth asks nikki if she minds sitting here for awhile while he gets them their drinks. she shakes her head with a soft laugh, her voice.. god, her voice. seth thinks he's in love with the concept of getting to hear that voice every day. seth thinks he's in love. 

in love with nikki bella? already? no, no. what the fuck, rollins? 

it's just hard not to admit that that's the fact of the matter; perhaps he isn't in love with her but she makes him smile so effortlessly that it's easy to think that he's all healed up from the pain of having lost sasha. no, the pain of letting sasha go would be the right term. it was his decision after all. 

he shakes off the thoughts from his head, heading towards the bar and ordering a margarita for nikki and glass of beer for himself. dean's already gone when he gets back and nikki's talking to one of the girls he recognizes from college, an art student he had known as charlotte flair. he shoots her a smile as a greeting when he reaches their table before taking a place next to nikki, their closure enough to allow charlotte make her own assumption. 

the blonde gives nikki a teasing smile, laughing softly. "you and rollins, huh?" 

nikki's cheeks tinge with pink and seth once again takes pride in bringing that color to her skin. he joins in the laughter, wrapping an arm around nikki's shoulder. "you know how they used to say it back in high school and college. rollins and bella's got a thing going on just before they get serious." charlotte laughs, laughing in complete understanding before she pats nikki's knee. 

"alright, alright. i'll leave you two be. gotta catch up with some of these people i haven't seen in ages. also heard ziggler's a free man now so." she winks playfully and the three of them share a laugh before seth watches her leave. 

nikki nudges at his knee, her smile soft. "before they get serious, huh?" 

his eyebrows shot up and he smiles at her almost teasingly, his words playful. "i mean, unless you don't want that. i guess i'd just have to, you know, deal with the heartbreak." 

she laughs with a gentle slap against his chest, and then with that same hand she cups the side of his face and pulls him into a soft kiss. "i'd want that, but you'll have to earn it. slowly." 

he thinks, as he agrees, that he'd work hard to earn it even if he wasn't challenged. he smiles at her and leaves another soft kiss to her lips. "that's fine by me, bella." 

"good," she says then, placing her drink down onto the table. "now kiss me." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

he feels kind of sick. 

he's drunk more than he should have and yet she still won't leave his train of thoughts. they keep taking him back to that time at work when april had kissed him and he kissed her back. dean could still feel her lips warm and soft against his own, could still feel her skin under his fingertips. he might be an asshole but he /is/ human and all he could think about at night was how orton would feel if he ever finds out. 

placing his glass onto the counter, he asks for another glass of beer. he honestly doesn't know what he's here for anymore. rollins' busy making out with his new girl — a bella, out of all people — and he's pretty sure roman and paige had gone home. this night is turning out to be such a waste of time. he would have done much more at home with a bowl of popcorn, buttered, and a marathon of movies to watch on netflix. 

final decision made, he cancels his order and makes to leave the bar, not bothered to tell seth that he's heading home and that he'd be taking the bus. just as he turns towards the exit, his eyes find april latched onto orton's side as they converse with another pair of couple that dean doesn't recognize. he could slither out unnoticed but april had already seen him. he curses under his breath when he sees her excusing herself and making way towards him. /shit shit shit/. 

he turns to leave but she's already caught up with him, cornered to a darkened area where no one could see them. "dean! please just give me a second." 

he counts in his head the number of misfortunes he's had to face in his life and how this is definitely one of those. he stops, though; somehow in that hard head of his he's willing to give her the second she needs. 

"listen," she starts, looking a little loss for words. "about what happened..." 

dean doesn't really want an explanation. he wants to forget it ever happened so it surprises him once again how he ended up with his hands all over her and a lapful of april mendez, her lipstick smearing across his mouth, and how the fuck they even got out of the lounge unnoticed. but his system's been doused with alcohol and his mind slurs /april, april, april/, so he doesn't stop himself from taking her when she asks. 

everyone already knows he's fucked up but he didn't know he could get any more worst.


	9. Chapter 9

she hasn't spoken to roman in four days since the night of april's party. she ignored his calls and his messages and stays over at sasha's so he couldn't come in without sasha's permission. perhaps he doesn't deserve this punishment but paige is half embarrassed and half upset; there's no way that he hadn't been the one who invited brie and that fact just hurt more that it should. 

she misses him, though, and often late at night when she's ready for bed, the temptation to leave him a goodnight text grows almost unbearable. she's managed to fight it off thus far. he doesn't show up at campus so she guesses he's giving her the space she needs. her only fear now though, is if what she said becomes a realization to roman and he would eventually leave her for brie. 

brie brie brie. why the bloody bullocks does brie still exist in their lives? and the worst thing is the fact that it isn't her fault at all. 

paige releases a soft sigh as she closes the door to her apartment unit, having gone back to her own place after four nights at sasha's. her intention today is to get a shower, finish up her assignments and call it an early night. there's no point in being awake too long if she's only going to be missing roman for more than half the time. 

she skips the shower, however, deciding that she should do that when she finishes everything else. when it feels too empty and silent, she turns on her spotify playlist at full blast only to turn it off when song after song only reminds her of roman. frustrated with herself, paige prepares a plate of sandwiches to munch on and she's just about to sit down in front of her laptop in the living room to get started on her assignments when the doorbell rings. she half hopes it's roman and half hopes it isn't. she isn't ready to face him. 

it's seth when she checks through the peephole, opening the door only when she's certain roman didn't tag along. seth looks at her with an expression she's too lazy to depict but spreads out his arms for a hug. she wraps her arms around his waist and lets him hold her for that brief moment. he feels like the closest thing she could get to roman. 

"dean doesn't wanna say it but he misses you," seth is saying as she ushers him inside, his words causing a smile to curl up at her lips. she closes the door then and leads him into her living room where she makes sure he takes a seat while she disappears to get him a glass of water. "you should come back, paige." 

she returns with his drink and places it on the table in front of him, sitting herself on the floor to level with her laptop. "maybe but not yet. im not ready." 

seth's eyebrows raise as takes a drink, placing the glass back where it was. "roman told me what happened. i hate to be telling you this but you got it all wrong." 

paige frowns, looking up at him from her assignment. "did roman tell you to come here?" 

he shakes his head, scoffing lightly. "you know roman doesn't like us meddling with his personal problems but it's getting really annoying the way he's moping around in the house and you guys aren't even broken up." 

she rolls her eyes, going back to typing into her laptop. "i just.. i dunno. what are the odds he and brie might get back together?" 

seth looks genuinely shocked, his lips parted as he leans forward to make sure her attention is on him. "paige knight, the guy's with you. there are no odds of him ever getting back with brie. come on, seriously? you can't be serious." 

"don't laugh at me, rollins." she snaps, grabbing a pen and throwing it at him. her chest is constricting and it's just so bloody embarrassing if he laughs at her stupid insecurity. 

he dodges the pen in time, glaring at her. "do you see me laughing? look, i know you're upset because you thought roman invited brie to that party knowing you didn't like her. but that's where you're wrong." 

assignment now forgotten, her body twists to face him properly. "what do you mean?" 

"i meant roman didn't invite brie," seth explains, "i did. well, technically, i invited nikki when i went out on a date with her and brie gets an automatic invite." 

what? did she hear that right? "you went on a date with nikki bella?" 

his mouth parts to speak only to close it after, nodding his head to answer her question. "but that's not the point. the point is it was me who invited the bellas, not roman. so the poor guy's not at fault." 

guilt quickly washes over paige for everything that she said to roman that night, recalling how she didn't let him explain when she had left. her cheeks burn from shame and her fingers gently drum the table as her mind races and panics. is it too late to make things right? 

as if he could read her thoughts, seth speaks up. "it's not too late, you know. in fact, i came to tell you personally that he'll be waiting for you at cesaro's tonight. he knows you wouldn't respond to his messages so he thought you'd read mine. but i just wanted to tell you beforehand that it was never his fault to begin with. plus i think i miss my little sister too much to miss the chance to visit." 

paige could kiss seth rollins right now if she isn't thrumming with excitement and nervousness to make sure she and roman are okay again and if he isn't currently seeing nikki bella. who would have thought? she makes a mental note to tease him later. 

grinning now, paige stands up and pulls him into a tight hug before guiding him towards her front door. he looks at her in feigned disbelief, shaking his head. "you're throwing me out already?" 

she laughs softly and leans in to kiss him on the cheek. "i don't think i got much time and i need to get ready. thank you, thank you, thank you. i owe you." 

his hand raises to ruffle up her hair and his smile is one of relief. "you work it out, okay? i'll see you around at home sometime soon?" 

"yes," she grins, nodding. "see you, seth!" and then without waiting for him to say anything, paige is closing the door and locking it before she rushes into her room, grabbing the first pair of jeans she could find and a top to go with. 

she's clad in white skinny jeans and a black cropped top an hour later, her purse and phone in hand as she flags down for a cab. 

hopefully she can save her relationship tonight and then she could work on completely erasing her bloody fears. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

april mendez wears guilt heavy on her shoulders. 

she feels dean's lips on her skin and dean's arms around her waist. when she closes her eyes, it's dean's face that she sees. where is randy in her subconscious? did he dissipate into nothing the way dean ambrose never did? how easy was it for him to matter close to nothing the moment dean comes back into the picture? she has to chant a silent 'im marrying randy, im marrying randy, im marrying randy' with her eyes closed and dean's face lingering behind closed lids. 

she had slept with dean ambrose while the man she's engaged to was in the same building; waiting for her to return, waiting for her back in his arms. 

her eyes open to a reflection of herself in the mirror. there stood the woman she wants to be; a woman in love with the kindest man she'd met, a woman engaged to the man she loves. but that is only who she wants to be for deep inside she knows only one person that resides in the chambers of her heart; the first boy she ever kissed, the first man she ever loved, the first love she ever made. 

she knew the moment she saw dean in the café, everything would change. he was that boy with whom she graduated high school, that boy she got matching tattooes with and it burns at the inside of her wrist where the tiny letters 'DA' sit. his initials forever engraved into her skin and hers on his. 

weren't they planning to leave the country together? even roman had joked about tagging along because he wouldn't have his best friend taken away so easily. where did it all go wrong? 

of course, she knew it was her fault. she was the one who left when he needed her the most, pressured by her family and afraid she would be abandoned. so she did the first thing she knew to do — she left. 

and now everything is coming back at her full force. 

she startles from her thoughts when she hears knocking on her door, expecting it to open even without her permission and it does, her mother's head popping in with a smile. 

"randy's here for lunch, sweetheart." the older mendez says and april only nods her head. 

her mother disappears again and april takes another look at her reflection, willing herself to be that woman she sees in the mirror as she takes a deep breath and gets ready for another day of fake smiles and 'i love you's that certainly no longer comes from within her heart. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

she hasn't seen him for what felt like ages and the moment she set her eyes on him, paige feels as though she could explode. he's seated at cesaro's with his favorite t-shirt on, hair left loose over his shoulders and gray eyes meeting hers the moment she enters the place. she feels breathless; part of her wants to run over to him and fall into his arms, another part of her wants to keep her cool. 

she takes a deep breath as she walks over to the table he's seated on, slipping into the opposite seat and avoiding his gaze once she realizes how embarrassing her misunderstanding had been. she wonders what's going on in his head. 

"you came," he says in his deep baritone voice that paige didn't realize she missed so much. there's a careful smile in his eyes that she notes as relief, having seen the look countless of times. 

she nods her head, failing to find words to say as her gaze lifts to look into his. she's tempted to take his hands that are on the table but she clasps her own to stop herself. seeing her silence, roman speaks up again and there's a slight disappointment in his voice. "so you read seth's message." 

"he came to see me, actually," she says finally, unable to bite back a smile when he raises his brows. "he told me everything." 

roman looks confused and paige guesses it's because seth probably didn't tell roman what actually happened. "everything?" 

she nods again, biting onto her bottom lip. "that you didn't invite the bellas, that he was the one who invited nikki so brie's bound to come as well." 

as she explains, roman nods slowly but other than taking the info in, she couldn't read his expression. he's silent and she knows she has to say something to save this. "look, im sorry. i know i should have given you the chance to explain but i didn't. i ignored your calls and your messages and i refused to see you and i know i shouldn't have and—" 

he takes her clasped hand in his to shut her up, shaking his head as a smile adorns his stupidly pretty face. "don't be. i know why you reacted the way you did that night and i don't blame you, at all." 

her eyes are starting to sting from the tears that don't seem to wanna stop. she holds back from releasing any sobs, squeezing his hand back and holding his gaze. she chokes on a sob and manages to say, "im sorry," 

"shh," he insists, one of his hands going up to cup her cheek and she naturally leans into his touch. "it's okay, it's over now. you're here, im here. it was all just a misunderstanding." 

she nods, her own hand cupping over his on her cheek. a smile curls at her lips and they both share a brief laugh before she feels roman squeeze her hand again. all she wants to do is get on his lap and kiss him but pda has never been her thing unless it's to annoy ambrose, so she waits as he retracts his hand from her cheek to slip into his pocket. 

he's speaking as he does just that and there's a sheepish look on his face while he keeps his hand hidden underneath the table, his smile so precious paige just wants to kiss. "i've been thinking about this for awhile now. it ain't the right time to before and after that i just ain't got the chance to." 

paige frowns, genuinely clueless to what exactly he's talking about but he squeezes her hand and then his other hand slips a tiny box into hers, opening the lid of the box and revealing a diamond ring sitting right in the middle of it. paige's free hand flies up to cover her mouth as she gasps aloud, mind reeling and heartbeat racing. 

"but i think is a good time as any and i ain't gonna waste anymore time." he continues speaking, his hands now completely letting hers go as he stands up from his seat. 

paige watches, completely speechless and unable to think, as roman takes the ring and gets onto one knee in front of her, gaining the attention of nearly everyone else at cesaro's. she keeps her hand pressed to cover her mouth, tears already beginning to roll down her cheeks as her insides swell with love, surprise and happiness all at once. 

"paige knight," he says then, a smile on his face as he presents her the ring. "there ain't anyone else i can imagine growin' old with, ain't anyone else i /wanna/ grow old with. so im askin' now with only one hope, and that is if you would do the honor of becomin' my wife." 

she could feel everyone's eyes on her and though she's already screaming 'yes, yes, yes!' in her heart, she couldn't do anything more than to nod her head profusely, already openly crying as roman slips the ring onto her finger. she stands up just as roman does, arms wrapping around his neck and his around her waist as their lips meet in a kiss. she feels herself melt so easily into him, his hold on her tight and everyone's applause and congrats fall on deaf ears as she basks herself in roman, roman, roman. 

if she thinks she had known happiness before, she was wrong because this.. this is what happiness feels like, along with his encouraging words and soft caresses, the way he smiles at her and the way he holds her when she needs to be held. she has felt happiness and nothing could ever take that away from her.


	10. Chapter 10

if seth is to describe how last month had been, it would be just one word; crazy. and for once, it wasn't crazy for him. crazy good, maybe. but not bad, no. not when he gets to kiss nikki bella every single time they meet. 

dean has had it the roughest, he thinks. it can't be easy to learn about someone you thought you'd spend the rest of your life with getting married to someone else. then there's roman and paige when they drifted off because of a certain bella but they'd ended up getting engaged so seth guesses that went alright. crazy, but it all works out perfectly. 

seth, on the other hand, had spent much time with nikki whenever he's free to without neglecting time with his friends. he must admit he's handling things pretty well. it almost feels too good to be true, but he'll take what he can get and make the most of it. 

now he sits in his car with nikki next to him, both clad in simple tees and sweatpants after a work out at the gym before they grabbed some breakfast to go with. she's grown comfortable enough to stop sitting so lady-like the way she had for the first few dates and now in just a sleeveless tee that hugs the curves of her body and a pair of sweatpants, she has her legs curled up and tucked underneath her, stuffing herself with the donuts they'd gotten after gym. 

the plan is to get nikki home so she could shower and they could go out again at night but he's driving through a pretty area along the outskirts of town and the sun is still rising and a memory crosses through his mind of a time he and dean had broken into a place just to hang out cause roman's too busy dating brie bella. 

he doesn't realize he's smiling until nikki speaks up, a teasing look on her face, "old girlfriend memories?" 

seth scoffs playfully, deciding to turn the corner into the more rural area of the place. he hopes that old, abandoned house with that really nice view of the waterfall he and dean had broken into hasn't been brought down. he could feel nikki's questioning gaze and she sits up properly, placing the donut box on the dashboard. 

"this is not the way home, rollins." 

"nope," he agrees simply, driving further into the area through a small neighborhood with a really small population size. he used to know a kid here back when he liked to frequent the place. he wonders if the kid's still around. 

nikki's voice is playful but there's a lace of wariness that makes seth wants to laugh. "you're not going to kidnap me, are you?" 

seth, instead of laughing, turns his head to look at her. "do you trust me?" 

she shrugs a shoulder, a hand going up to loosen her hair from the ponytail she was wearing. "i mean, yeah, i guess." 

"i thought so," he shoots her a playful wink, pulling over at an empty space in a way that wouldn't block any other vehicle that might past, just opposite the abandoned mansion. 

"just so you know," nikki is saying as they got out of the car, hair a little disheveled from being tied up for hours. "this is scaring me." 

seth locks up the car and moves ahead of her, offering her his hand. "if you're scared then you can hold my hand." 

she looks hesitant at first, glancing at his offered hand and the mansion before she takes his hand and squeezes. "if anything happens to me, brie is going to kill you." 

"come on, bella," he laughs softly, giving her hand another squeeze before he's pulling her gently with him into the mansion. "i won't hurt you and im not gonna let anything hurt you either. it's just something really cool you should see." 

she follows him obediently and he's impressed with how she doesn't cringe at every nasty things they find along the pathway towards the house. "i trust your opinion on cool things so okay." 

the door to the place is slightly ajar from the years of abandon and seth pushes at it slowly in case he'd get a jump scare from pests that are surely residing in this house. that would not be very manly of him, would it? nikki wouldn't be able to trust him entirely with her safety if he jumps at the mere sight of a rat. 

surprisingly the stench isn't too overwhelming, the smell of old wood overpowering everything else. seth doesn't let go of nikki's hand as he walks further into the mansion, the floor creaking underneath their feet. he doesn't head straightway to the back door where they'd get the view, instead leading her towards the flight of stairs that lead up to the second floor. 

"how long has this place been abandoned anyway?" nikki asks as they take careful steps up the wooden stairs. they're surprisingly still strong to carry their weights. 

"long, i think." seth explains just as they reach the second floor, the coridoor leading to different rooms. "i came here in my second year of college with ambrose, got some real nice stuff here." 

he pulls her with him towards one of the rooms where the door is opened, entering it and finding that it's a nursery — wooden baby cot and play station set up at the corners and just plenty of space where he assumes must have been where they spend time playing. 

"i wonder what happened to the people who used to live here," nikki wonders aloud, letting go of seth's hand so she could go over to the baby cot, a smile on her lips. her attention then is averted to the rows of photo frames lined on top of a drawer just next to the cot and seth watches as she studies them all. 

there's a bittersweet sense of emotion that swells inside him. he's heard the story of what happened when he first came into this part of the neighborhood; there was a lady back then who entertained him with tales of the town. but aside from that there's a kind of warmth that fills him up; the sight of nikki like this making him feel things he's never felt before. 

he hums then, going over to stand next to her and picking up one of the photo frames. he smiles at the picture of a couple, the husband carrying an infant in his arms and three other girls around them. 

"from what i heard," seth begins, putting the photo down as nikki looks up at him. "there was a family back in the 80's who used to live here. pretty lady, nice guy. got married but got some guys who didn't like it. rumor had it one of the guys was an ex of hers. they left town for a while and had those three girls before they came back here." 

nikki listens intently, a frown of concentration on her forehead as she tries to make her own conclusion of the story as he continues to explain. "let's just say they shouldn't have come back. they had their fourth baby here, a boy, and for awhile they're this happy family until that same ex came and murdered every single one of them." 

she gasps then, automatically clutching onto his arm as horror colors her face. "even the baby?" 

"even the baby." 

"that's one disgusting human being," nikki sniffles, once again looking at the baby photos. "he was just a baby." 

"crazy story, right?" seth sighs softly, taking her hand in his to lead her out of the room, deciding that perhaps he should not have shared that story because now nikki looks like she might be sick. way to go, rollins. "but let's get to the cool part of our adventure today." 

nikki breathes out in relief, lacing her fingers with his as she moves ahead first, heading right towards the stairs and they make their way back down. he laughs softly, finding it completely adorable somehow, as he pulls her in for a brief kiss. "let me show you something real cool. you'll love it." 

"it better be or our relationship is on the line." she teases and he laughs again as he pulls her with him towards the back door. 

nothing has changed as he opens the door that leads out towards the garden in the back, a vast view of the lake down below and the waterfall in quite a distance. nikki is silent, once again letting go of his hand to move forward so she could get better view. 

"oh my god," she gasps, a hand on her chest. 

seth takes this moment to wrap his arms around her from behind, leaning down to place a soft kiss to her shoulder, relieved when she leans back against his chest. "so, is our relationship saved?" 

she laughs softly, her arms over his that are around her waist. "mm, i'd like to think so. i mean, it's not like we have smell of old wood overpowering everything else. seth doesn't let go of nikki's hand as he walks further into the mansion, the floor creaking underneath their feet. he doesn't head straightway to the back door where they'd get the view, instead leading her towards the flight of stairs that lead up to the second floor. 

"how long has this place been abandoned anyway?" nikki asks as they take careful steps up the wooden stairs. they're surprisingly still strong to carry their weights. 

"long, i think." seth explains just as they reach the second floor, the coridoor leading to different rooms. "i came here in my second year of college with ambrose, got some real nice stuff here." 

he pulls her with him towards one of the rooms where the door is opened, entering it and finding that it's a nursery — wooden baby cot and play station set up at the corners and just plenty of space where he assumes must have been where they spend time playing. 

"i wonder what happened to the people who used to live here," nikki wonders aloud, letting go of seth's hand so she could go over to the baby cot, a smile on her lips. her attention then is averted to the rows of photo frames lined on top of a drawer just next to the cot and seth watches as she studies them all. 

there's a bittersweet sense of emotion that swells inside him. he's heard the story of what happened when he first came into this part of the neighborhood; there was a lady back then who entertained him with tales of the town. but aside from that there's a kind of warmth that fills him up; the sight of nikki like this making him feel things he's never felt before. 

he hums then, going over to stand next to her and picking up one of the photo frames. he smiles at the picture of a couple, the husband carrying an infant in his arms and three other girls around them. 

"from what i heard," seth begins, putting the photo down as nikki looks up at him. "there was a family back in the 80's who used to live here. pretty lady, nice guy. got married but got some guys who didn't like it. rumor had it one of the guys was an ex of hers. they left town for a while and had those three girls before they came back here." 

nikki listens intently, a frown of concentration on her forehead as she tries to make her own conclusion of the story as he continues to explain. "let's just say they shouldn't have come back. they had their fourth baby here, a boy, and for awhile they're this happy family until that same ex came and murdered every single one of them." 

she gasps then, automatically clutching onto his arm as horror colors her face. "even the baby?" 

"even the baby." 

"that's one disgusting human being," nikki sniffles, once again looking at the baby photos. "he was just a baby." 

"crazy story, right?" seth sighs softly, taking her hand in his to lead her out of the room, deciding that perhaps he should not have shared that story because now nikki looks like she might be sick. way to go, rollins. "but let's get to the cool part of our adventure today." 

nikki breathes out in relief, lacing her fingers with his as she moves ahead first, heading right towards the stairs and they make their way back down. he laughs softly, finding it completely adorable somehow, as he pulls her in for a brief kiss. "let me show you something real cool. you'll love it." 

"it better be or our relationship is on the line." she teases and he laughs again as he pulls her with him towards the back door. 

nothing has changed as he opens the door that leads out towards the garden in the back, a vast view of the lake down below and the waterfall in quite a distance. nikki is silent, once again letting go of his hand to move forward so she could get better view. 

"oh my god," she gasps, a hand on her chest. 

seth takes this moment to wrap his arms around her from behind, leaning down to place a soft kiss to her shoulder, relieved when she leans back against his chest. "so, is our relationship saved?" 

she laughs softly, her arms over his that are around her waist. "mm, i'd like to think so. i mean, it's not like we have he thinks he deserves as much goodness as they do, considering the fact that he's never had anything close to decent that can be compared to what they're constantly showered with. so why is it that roman's happily moved on to paige and managed to leave brie behind just as seth is moving on to nikki bella yet dean's still stuck in the past? 

why is he still wrapped around april mendez's little finger? why is it that he could only enjoy her kisses and her touches and can't seem to ever move on even though it's been nearly ten years since she left him behind? 

he's a lovesick fool, that's what he is, and he hates to admit it but it seems to him that he doesn't need to. he sighs softly, running his palm down his face just as he feels april stir from her sleep. 

"dean?" she asks, an arm feeling up the empty space next to her. 

he sighs again, going over to the bed and slipping next to her as he leans down to give her temple a kiss, voice soft in hopes it would lull her back to sleep. "im here," 

/im always going to be here./ 

\------------------------------------------------ 

seth wakes up an hour earlier than he normally does to a text message. 

he stares at it for what feels like ages, unable to really register the words in his head even as he hears paige's voice outside and roman's in the kitchen, probably preparing breakfast. he hears the front door opening and then roman's voice teasingly asking "hey man, did you fall asleep at work?" so seth guesses dean must have just gotten home. 

even as he stares at the six simple words in the message, he hears dean's laugh and a sarcastic comeback. "right on mike's table in his office, man." 

but of course, he feels like he's still half asleep so he sits up and tosses his phone onto the bed before heading out of the room, not bothered to put on a shirt and clad in only a pair of boxers as he catches dean disappearing into his own room. he heads into the kitchen, finding paige stealing a piece of pancake from the plate next to where roman's making more. 

"oh, come on! that was the fourth one!" seth watches as roman flips, stopping what he was doing to glare at paige as she takes another bite of the pancake she stole. 

his fiancé only laughs, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. "you're so cute when you're trying to be the boys' dad, roman," and then when he only silently flips over the pancake in the pan to continue cooking, she bites back a laugh. "okay, okay, i'll help you and i won't steal another one, promise." 

she turns around then and finds seth walking into the kitchen, smiling at him and speaking with a mouthful of pancake. "oh, hey, good morning. want some?" 

he mumbles a quiet 'good morning' in return, shaking his head to refuse her offer and smiling at both her and roman. he keeps silent as he goes over to the sink to wash his face, feeling much refreshed when he turns off the water tap before heading back into his room. 

as soon as he's back in the confines of his room, he hears roman's angry 'paige!' and guesses paige must have stolen another pancake. seth has to smile at that. sitting back down onto his bed, he grabs his phone and unlocks it to the message he'd woken up to. 

there, bright on his screen, is sasha's message sent to him at 07:23am. 

"i miss you, can we talk?"


	11. Chapter 11

as much as paige is adorable, she sometimes gets on his nerves. today, especially; stealing all five pancakes he'd made for breakfast every single time he placed a new one on the plate and then spilling syrup all over the floor. perhaps it was because he'd lost all the mood due to his exhaustion from the day prior; getting shit from his student's parent all because they were once rivals back in college. 

roman knows it's not an excuse but he'd childishly, ironically, blamed his exhaustion for the words he had spat at paige in the car on the way to her campus. she'd gone silent after he'd called her out on 'acting like a child' and when they'd arrived he had tried to apologize but she was already slipping out of the car, muttering a brief 'thanks for the ride' before the door slammed in his face. 

another mistake, although this time he isn't afraid to admit that it was his fault. he knows she's had issues with their age gap; on nights where they lay together in bed she had told him the reasons why she had envied brie so much, one of them being she is only a child compared to brie bella. 

he feels like a hypocrite for telling her that she isn't a child and calling her exactly that not long after. 

you little fucker, reigns, he thinks to himself as he pulls into a parking space before stepping out of the car and proceeding towards the donut joint he plans to grab coffee at. he feels way below a zero and all he wants to do is grab paige by the hand and kiss her until she forgives him. of course, it isn't going to be that easy. 

as soon as he enters the place, his eyes land on a certain bella he wishes isn't there at the moment. he's grateful paige isn't here to see because she would definitely go into one of her moods that nearly cost them their relationship about a month ago. he curses inwardly and considers slipping back out but brie's already turning around and noticing him. he curses again. 

of course he forces a smile; brie's never done anything for him to act out on her, he just doesn't expect her to pull him into a hug. he returns that one too. she's smiling at him the way she used to back in the days and roman remembers, for a moment, how much he had loved that smile. it's an odd realization that hits him how things could change because that very same smile no longer has the same effect on him. 

most of the time these days he has difficulties recalling just why they went separate ways, though there isn't any sense of regret to it. he believes their separation had led him to paige, one of the best things that has ever happened to him and somehow he's thankful that brie and him hadn't worked out. at times when he does remember, however, he remembers it clearly. 

he remembers brie being the one to tell him that she wanted a break; she was starting her dream career and couldn't remember the last time she was functioning on her own because they had been together since they were nineteen and freshmen at college. at twenty-five, roman thought they would finally settle down until she suggested the time apart. although it was a mutual decision, it still stung to know that she wanted to be away from him. 

somehow along the way, the break became permanent; he realized how he, too, needed to focus on his career just as she did and suddenly the occasional texting and calls became no calls and no messages. he realizes now after a walk down memory lane that they never did properly break up. 

he ends up seated opposite her as she chats away about work and her family, laughing along with her when she does. he tells her his side of the story as well, mostly how things are at work. 

they only paused when brie starts sipping at her chocolate frappé and she looks as though she's battling herself and rephrasing the words she's about to say. when she finally does, roman could tell that the question was just asked out of courtesy. "so, how's- how are you and paige? good, i hope." 

remembering paige only reminds him of the problem he has to solve later when paige's classes end but he manages to not show his concern. he nods, smiling at brie, completely slipping his mind the fact that he probably shouldn't mention their engagement to an ex. "we're good, which is really nice. popped the question to her so there ain't got much things to upset me these days. you know, happy stuff." 

he only realizes that a little too late though, noticing the gleam in brie's eyes dim and her shoulders slump just a little. she keeps her smile but her voice trembles by a slight. "you asked her to marry you?" 

roman chews at his lower lip, nodding his head and feigning a smile to pretend he didn't notice the change in her demeanor. "yeah, i did. i think it's time for me to settle down." 

she looks regretful for a moment but the smile is back as soon as it was gone. "and she said yes...? i mean, of course she did. congratulations, roman. it was just a little surprising seeing she's still really young." 

he decides he doesn't really like the tone of voice she's using but chooses to ignore it for now. "i ain't gonna be stopping her from pursuing her dreams just because we decided to settle down. im sure it'll work out well." 

"of course," brie says with a nod, clearing her throat. "yes, of course. but yeah, congrats, anyway. im really happy for you." 

that's a lie, he thinks but he smiles at her anyway. "thank you, brie." 

"anyway," she looks flustered, standing up as she speaks. "im gonna get myself water so i'll be right back." 

he nods as she leaves for the counter. perhaps he should not have mentioned it to her because now her jealousy is starting to piss him off. it was her who wanted a break from him when he was ready to settle down, it wasn't his fault he realized that she wasn't for him. she would have known he and paige are engaged sooner or later anyway. he's surprised she didn't already know, seeing one of his best friends is seeing her twin sister. 

roman sighs softly just as his phone rings and he slips it out of his pocket to see that it was paige. an instant smile curls at his lips as answers the call, pressing the phone to his ear. "hey, baby. did you finish class?" 

"hi, booboo," she responds with a soft laugh at her own nickname for him. she doesn't sound too upset so roman's relieved to know that his apology might not go as difficult as he had thought. "and yeah, just finished my first class but i have about three more today. and i'll probably end a little late but i've left some important stuff at your place and i might crash there tonight so like, if you're free, could you come and —" 

paige is cut off when roman hears brie call out at him from the counter, "would you like some water, roman?" 

fuck this. 

"is that brie bella?" paige asks, sounding terrifyingly calm. 

he shakes his head at brie to answer her question, hoping paige doesn't get too upset. "yeah, it is. bumped into her at the café." 

paige is silent for a moment and he could nearly hear her silent thoughts. she clears her throat then and her voice sounds tired all of a sudden. "so, yeah, i called to tell you that you don't have to pick me up today. im going over to sasha's to get something and then i'll be over at your place. see you." 

roman wants to sigh and sleep through today. he's pretty sure she's lying to him because she had obviously intended to ask if he could pick her up. roman questions then if he would have done the same if he found out she was out with an ex of hers, realizes that he would trust her enough to allow her to be friends with her ex. why couldn't she trust him? 

"i love you," he says anyway, just as brie returns to the table with a glass of water. she must have heard him because it explains just how uneasy she looks. good, she should feel uneasy because since she appeared again his relationship with paige had been rocky. "i'll see you tonight. stay safe, baby." 

paige hums, "love you too. and i will, you drive safe too, roman. see you." 

and then she's hanging up on him and he's left to face brie. he sighs softly, slipping his phone back into his jeans pocket and he's about to leave when brie grabs at his hand. he naturally takes his hand back with a frown. 

"im sorry," she says and everything else happens so quick roman fails to see it coming. suddenly she's leaning forward and kissing him on the lips so briefly that he doesn't get to push her away. 

he frowns deeper, anger rising up his throat with how much she's disrespecting him knowing he was an engaged man and kissing him like that. "what the fuck, brie?!" 

she looks startled at his raised voice but it doesn't falter the determination in her words. "i've been wanting to do that for a long time, roman. and i just don't think you're happy with her. i don't think she can make you as happy as i could. weren't you happy those seven years with me, roman? don't you miss that?" 

he couldn't believe this is even happening. he shakes his head and holds himself back from lashing out at her, balling his hand into a fist in anger. "i was happy but im happier now, brie. don't do that ever again. i don't want us to go off on bad terms but i won't hesitate to pretend i don't know you the next time we bump into each other." 

brie parts her lips to speak but he won't allow it, standing up and storming out of the door and into his car. his mind races and paige's face is stuck in his head; an image of her that he never wants to see again, an image of her crying while insecurity eats her up inside. he gets to work in no mood at all, too worked up on whether or not he should come clean with paige about what happened. 

he's never hidden anything from her, so why start now and give her more reasons to doubt him? he would have to tell her anyway. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

lying to his face is getting harder the more she does it. april couldn't look into randy's eyes without feeling the weight of her guilt heavy on her chest, so much that she thinks she might suffocate. 

she's seated opposite him at a restaurant now for lunch, picking at her plate of salad, having lost her appetite to eat. he's eating well, so that's good but he notices her anyway, placing his cutleries down and raising his brows up at her. "you feeling alright, babe?" 

in all honesty, she doesn't feel alright, even physically. she's been feeling lightheaded in the morning and her stomach feels unwell but she hasn't been giving randy the attention he deserves and thought that perhaps it is time for her to do just that. so she had agreed to accompany him for lunch but now she thinks she should have stayed home. 

"i just don't feel too well," she says with a smile to tell him not to worry but there's already a frown on his forehead and he's reaching out to touch her chin so she's facing him properly. 

"have you been eating on time and everything?" he asks in concern, picking up a napkin to wipe at his mouth. "i think you should see a doctor, babe." 

april nods to answer his first question before shaking her head, putting her fork down as well. "i never missed a meal and i don't think that's necessary, randy. im alright." 

randy shakes his head, not saying anything as he raises a hand to call for the bill. she knows there's no way to change his mind once he's made a decision, so she only watches him pay up the bill before allowing him to take her hand and leading them out of the restaurant. she guesses it wouldn't hurt anyone for her to see a doctor. if it would put randy at ease then so be it, so she doesn't say anything as he drives them towards his family doctor's clinic. 

dr. rebecca lynch isn't a stranger to april. in the years that she had been with randy, she also gets associated to most of his acquaintances, including the orton family doctor, dr. lynch. she does basic tests on april and has her wait for a moment while she retrieves the test results. randy stays next to her while she waits, certain that it's nothing serious and that the doctor just needs to do proper tests so she doesn't disappoint randy. 

rebecca returns with a huge grin plastered across her face, a file of documents in hand as she takes a seat opposite them. randy and april share a confused look but randy smiles at the doctor anyway. "what is it, becky?" 

"i have good news, randall." rebecca says with a squeal in her voice. she's been friends with randy for awhile now so april isn't surprised with the first name basis. 

"c'mon, becky," randy is saying, his arm that's around april's waist tightening just a little and she could feel how excited he was becoming. "you're making me nervous." 

april frowns though she couldn't bite back a smile, letting rebecca take her hand and randy's squeezing them in each of hers. "april's two-months pregnant! congratulations, future mr and mrs. orton!" 

randy nearly cries out in happiness and april's never seen him this happy but all she could do is sit there as he takes her into his arms, unable to think properly or feel the same joy randy is feeling. she knows she should feel that same happiness in her chest yet, in the midst of all of this, all she could think about is dean ambrose. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

seth rollins isn't entirely sure if he's awake or dreaming now as he stands on the bridge he used to frequent with sasha back when they had been together. he's only half aware that he had agreed to meet up with her and she had asked to meet here. why exactly he had agreed, though, he has no idea. 

but now he /is/ here and so is sasha and he has his hands gripped onto the railing, mind unable to comprehend what exactly is going on as sasha continues to speak. 

"it's been a rough couple of months for me," she's saying and he turns his head to look at her. "i just.. i don't think i can do with this break. i still wake up in the morning thinking you'd left me a message." 

seth clenches his jaw and it isn't anger that he feels nor is it sadness. he is only confused, half wishing she had told him this before nikki and that itself builds a kind of guilt in his chest. when he's silent, sasha continues to speak. 

"i just.." she sighs and steps closer to him. "seth, i want another chance. can't we make it work again like we always do? it doesn't have to be this way, does it?" 

he closes his eyes and there are two things lingering in the back of his head. there is the sound of nikki's laughter that he loves so much and then there's the image of him and sasha falling into place like two puzzle pieces. she was home and she had been for a long time. it's so easy to fall back to something and someone that he's so used to, so easy to be working things out when you know how to deal with it and that's what sasha is. 

sasha is familiarity and nikki is a new beginning and seth doesn't know which one he was willing to risk choosing. 

he sighs softly and shakes his head, "i need some time, sasha." 

she parts her lips to speak but he only pulls her in a brief hug before he begins walking away. what he should have said was that he was already seeing someone else, but his tongue feels heavy to mention nikki to sasha and he hates himself for it. 

it seems that good things don't last very long and his own heart refuses to do what is best for himself.


	12. Chapter 12

"she kissed me." 

to say that those three words didn't sting would be a complete lie but paige knows she must remain calm. he had already apologized for calling her a child and she had too for acting like a child, but of course, he proceeded to telling her the very thing that would hurt the most. paige wishes this day could end already. 

she looks up at him from where she's seated in his bed, already clad in one of his football jerseys after a much needed shower. she clears her throat then and he's looking at her apologetically, probably hoping she wouldn't lash out. she had promised herself she wouldn't, so she tries to keep herself calm. "did you kiss her back?" 

roman looks offended for a second before he shakes his head, "of course not. it just came out of nowhere. i was just telling her about asking you to marry me and then she kissed me. i wouldn't do that to you." 

he wouldn't do that to you, paige, a voice inside her head tells her and she knows she should listen to it. it is good enough already that he even told her, surely he wouldn't have if he had kissed brie back, would he? who could be so stupid? either way paige has known roman long enough to know that he is always painfully honest; even if he had slept with another girl, she is certain he would tell her right away. 

but what was it that he just said? /i wouldn't do that to you./ no, no. he wouldn't do that to her. she trusts him, she knows he wouldn't. she smiles up at him then, sweetly, in hopes that he would know that she isn't upset. 

"im glad you were honest with me," she says, taking his hand to kiss his knuckles. "and if im to be honest, i did get upset in the morning when i heard her voice but hey, the world is a small place and we both know she seems to be literally everywhere." 

he laughs softly and there's a look of relief that crosses his features as he squeezes her hand. "yeah, thank you for not getting upset." 

she smiles again, nodding her head and letting go of his hand so she could stand up and head towards the door. she turns around before she heads out, however, her words playful. "i hope you wash your mouth before you kiss me though." 

"already brushed my teeth, princess," he says with a laugh. "twice." 

paige laughs this time, showing him a thumb's up and heading out just as he disappears into the bathroom for his shower. she finds seth seated on the couch in the living room, watching dr.phil on tv and a bag of potato chips in his hand. dean is on the other couch, focused on his phone instead of anything else. she flops down next to seth, hand diving into the bag to grab a handful of the treat. they both ignore her presence and she frowns because they never do that. 

"you boys are looking super gloomy tonight," she says as she chews up chips in her mouth, looking to seth and then dean and back again at seth. "should i be asking why?" 

dean sits up then, still focused on his phone as he types away a reply. he only looks up to smile at paige before he's off the couch, looking a little too happy for dean ambrose. "im going out for a bit. tell roman so he doesn't get all motherly worried on me." 

paige and seth watch as dean disappears into his room and returns with his leather jacket on, leaving the house with his helmet and then he's off. they stay in silent as paige continues eating the chips, leaning back against the couch and watching dr.phil deal with a thirteen year old kid. after nearly five minutes of just watching the tv, seth speaks up, sounding almost hesitant. 

"hey, how's- how's sasha?" 

she frowns at him, knowing he'd gone to meet her just earlier that day because sasha tells her nearly everything. "you saw her earlier. didn't you see how she was doing?" 

seth sighs as indicator that he knows he shouldn't even bother asking, placing the bag of chips into paige's lap. "it's just so complicated." 

abandoning the bag onto the table, paige turns to face him. "what is? i mean, i just thought it'd be simple. tell sasha you're seeing nikki and she'd leave you alone and you go on in your little happy adventures with nikki bella." 

seth rolls his eyes at her, shaking his head. "you sound so bitter right now, paige. i know the bellas aren't your favorite duo but nikki's really nice." 

"sure," she shrugs her shoulders just as roman leaves their shared room to head to the kitchen where their laundry basket is. "but her sister isn't that nice. i mean, who even kisses someone's fiancé /knowing/ very well that they're engaged?" 

"what?" seth asks, momentarily distracted from his own problems. 

they hear roman's sigh as he falls onto the seat dean had been in just earlier. he gives paige a look. "i thought you'd drop that but of course not." 

"oh, come on," paige rolls her eyes, feeling bitter all of a sudden. "you wouldn't drop it either if one of my exes had kissed me." 

roman clicks his tongue, looking away from her. "i'd give him a taste of this fist and then i'd drop it." 

paige sits up then and seth is watching their little banter. "are you saying i should give her one nice bitch slap before i drop it?" 

"don't," roman sighs again, running a palm down his face. "don't do that, paige." 

"i thought so," she says, huffing and giving him the stink eye before she leans against seth, resting her head onto his shoulder and making sure roman knows she's ignoring him. 

later in bed, she curls to his side and buries her face into the crook of his neck, allowing him to hold her for he would only be able to sleep when he does. and she needed it anyway; his warm skin against hers and his lips pressed to the top of her head. but no matter how close he is to her right now, all she could see is the image of brie bella kissing him and how much he'd shown his annoyance towards her childishness lately. 

she allows a tear to escape and it must have landed on his neck because then he hushes her and holds her closer to his bare chest, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and she falls asleep to his whispered 'i love you's. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

he has it all planned — as soon as she walks through that door, he's going to kiss her and tell her he loves her. he'd ask her to run away with him, they'd go somewhere far away the way they always talked about when they were eighteen. his brothers would help him; no matter how bad it is, he knows seth and roman would do anything to help him. they'd help him get away from here with april. 

dean paces the floor of the hotel room he's waiting for april in, rehearsing the words he would say to her over and over again in his head. he has his jacket thrown onto the bed, clad in his black tee and jeans and heart racing in his chest. she'd texted him to meet here earlier and he thinks it's the right time to tell her how he feels for her, how he still feels for her the way had always felt for her. this way they won't be guilty anymore and april wouldn't be going behind randy's back. 

he stops pacing as soon as he hears the knocks on the door, taking a deep breath and telling himself to stay calm as he goes over to open it. he parts his lips to speak but stops when he sees her face, expression sullen and tears brimming in her eyes. she steps into the room so they'd be in private and he closes the door as she sits herself on the bed. 

every word he had rehearsed in his head disappears and he's silent as he waits for her to speak instead. when she looks up at him, a tear rolls down her cheek and she wipes it away quickly. "i think we need to stop seeing each other, dean." 

this must be a fucking joke. he laughs softly, no sense of humor in it. "seriously? you're doing this again? you're walking out on me again, april?" 

"you and i both know we shouldn't have even started whatever this is that we have," april stands up from where she was seated, wiping at her cheek once again. "im sorry that i made you think we had a chance. you knew the day would come that i'd have to walk away again." 

fuck you, he wants to say. fuck the world, fuck randy orton, fuck everything. but instead he pulls her into his arms and squeezes his eyes shut, willing for all of this to be a dream, a very bad, bad dream. "don't walk out on me. we'll leave this place together. just you and me like we always said we would. let's run away and leave everything else behind. we can make it." 

she shakes her head to every word he was saying to her and then she's pulling away from his hold, freely crying now. "i can't, dean." 

"but why not?" he seeks reasons, refusing to give up without a fight like he once did. "i love you. you love me too, don't you? you wouldn't have kissed me that day if you don't. you wouldn't have come back to me again and again if you don't feel that way." 

april stares at him then and he realizes he had just told her he loved her, realizes that he's never once told her that even when they were lovers, realizes that he probably should have before she left him the first time. 

"i have to go," she says, moving towards the door but he wouldn't let her, standing in her way in her attempt to leave. 

"please, april," in any other time his ego would probably stop him from begging but dean doesn't think he could do it again the second time. he doesn't want to lose her again. 

she shakes her head once again, "i can't." 

"why not?!" 

"im pregnant!" she yells, tears staining her cheeks as she looks into his eyes. 

his lips part but no words seem to leave him, mind racing, heart breaking, his world crashing. he feels like his lungs have stopped working. why is this happening to him? 

"and it isn't yours," she sobs and all he wants to do is hold her one last time in his arms. "randy and i are expecting a child now and i can't do this anymore. for my baby, for randy, for myself. im saying goodbye and it's for good, dean. im sorry." 

i hate you, he wants to say now but all he does is step away when she moves towards the door. and when he hears the sound of the door closing, dean breaks down completely in the way he has never done since the last time he did when he was fifteen and his father passed away. 

he sits down on the edge of the bed now and buries his face in his hands. his heart aches and his throat constricts and he wants to break things but all he could do is shed tears he would never show anyone else. 

he's really lost her now and he might have lost his heart too. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

seth has been a little spaced out for the past week and nikki wonders for a brief moment if he was already bored of her now that he's got her. often times when they were out together, his focus would be off somewhere and once she had to repeat her question three times. when discussing work, however, he seems much professional at it. 

nikki isn't upset, or so she'd like to tell herself. she's used to being wanted, to playing hard to get yet with seth it had been so easy that she fears to him it's almost boring. yet with seth, she needs him to want her. brie was right after all; she has it bad for seth rollins. 

they walk next to each other now sharing a bag of sandwich, a long day at work having taken most of their energy away as they stay in silence. he's staring off into nothing again and nikki is getting just a little annoyed. 

"okay, that's it," she says, stopping midstep until he turns to face her. 

there's a frown on his forehead as he abandons his sandwich back in its bag. "what's up?" 

nikki rolls her eyes. "i should be asking you that, rollins. you've been off this whole week. are you okay? cause if you're not, you know you can talk to me, right?" 

and she means that, really. aside from being his girlfriend, she wants to be his best best friend too, someone he goes to when he needs to talk or needs help, someone he can depend on occasionally when he really needs it. she knows they haven't been together officially for a long time but she needs him to know that she would be here for him to lean on just as he has always assured her he would be for her. 

seth sighs softly, flashing a soft smile at her as he pulls her into his embrace. she automatically wraps her arms around his waist, looking up at him in concern. she receives another smile followed by a kiss to her forehead. "work's been tough on me lately. And there are things im not ready to tell you but i hope you'd understand." 

she nods her head, completely understanding his privacy. she smiles up at him and pecks him softly on the lips. "i understand. i just wanted you to know that you can talk to me." 

"i do," he says, "and i appreciate it a lot, baby. anyway, i wanted to tell you that im planning a small beach party next weekend. it's my turn to treat the fam again so i thought that would be nice." 

nikki smiles at that, the prospect of getting to meet his closest friends and spending time with them making her just slightly nervous. she knows it wouldn't be the first time. she'd known roman better than she'd known either dean or seth himself but that had been years ago. joining them as seth's girlfriend would feel different undoubtedly. 

"that sounds nice," she nods, a grin up at him. "do you do that 'treat fam' thing all the time?" 

they began walking again as he speaks, fingers interlocking. "each one of us treat the fam every other month but mostly me and roman because we want dean to be able to save up too. the guy's going somewhere, someday. paige does too sometimes but she doesn't work so roman doesn't let her." 

she nods at every word he's saying, finding it sweet how seth, roman and dean had stayed friends for this long. and paige must be part of the picture now too considering how much she's mentioned when seth talks about this family. she has to smile at that. 

"also, bring brie to the small get together. i'd like for her and paige to finally get along or at least, you know, not tear at each other's throats." 

at the mention of brie, nikki remembers her twin sister telling her about what happened with roman. she shakes her head at that. "brie owes paige an apology anyway so she's definitely coming." 

seth nods, "also a heads up, my ex will probably be there..." 

nikki's brows shot up and seth laughs softly, stopping her from asking any question. "she's best friends with paige so i can't stop her from coming." 

"fine," nikki huffs, her next words playfully. "she better not be prettier than me." 

he laughs then before scoffing at her, "not prettier at all, but prettiest of them all." 

"seth rollins!" she scolds him with a smack to his arm, letting his hand go so she could cross her arms on her chest. "you're not getting any kisses tonight." 

seth is laughing again and she almosts sulks, a pout already beginning to form on her lips. "oh, come on. she may the prettiest, but you're the most beautiful woman i know, nikki. she's a princess but you're a queen." 

it's probably bad how easily he could make her smile at times like this but she smiles anyway, rolling her eyes as they reach his car. "are you sure?" 

he smiles at her and then there's a kiss on her lips. "never been sure about anything more."


	13. Chapter 13

paige is ready for a good day that would eventually, somehow, turn bad. as far as she knows, every time brie bella turns up, her day would automatically be ruined. so seeing as seth already told her that brie would be there at their little picnic getaway, paige is prepared. 

she hopes brie doesn't try anything on roman though; paige can't promise she'll keep her hands to her sides. 

roman looks happy, all smiley and laughing at whatever jokes dean had been telling him as they pack up everything that they had to bring. seth is busiest, as always, making sure everything goes well. she's already clad in her bikini, only pulling on a dress over them before grabbing her bag and joining roman in helping seth get stuff into the car. 

a silent thought in her head hopes roman isn't this happy because brie bella would be there. 

paige scolds herself then, angry at her conscience for the thoughts it keeps coming up with. roman, as always, notices her displeasure and while in their car and seth is driving, he pulls her close to him nearly possessively, almost as if he was the one afraid to lose her to an ex. 

"you don't have to talk to her," he says, a whisper into the soft of her raven hair. "just remember that i love you and if she starts saying things that make you angry, just smile at her and maybe, you know, indirectly remind her that it's you who im going to marry." 

she has to laugh at that, appreciating how he's supporting her and assuring her that her insecurities are just insecurities. she smiles up at him, leaning up to kiss him softly on the lips once, twice, three times. "i hope she doesn't talk to me at all. i hope she hates me too much to acknowledge my existence." 

"all the better," he agrees, a grin wide on his lips. "i'd just have to focus on you and pretend she doesn't exist either, which won't be very hard unless she makes it so." 

he receives another kiss for that before paige is pursing her lips in thought, humming softly. "what if she does make it difficult?" 

roman puckers up his lips the way he does whenever he's thinking, bringing a grin to paige's face. "then you can't ever leave my side. you'd have to sit on my lap and have dean grab what you want for you. we both know he'll do it without question." 

"that actually sounds like a good idea," she laughs softly, her grin making her own cheeks ache. "then i suppose today will go quite nicely." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

of course she should have known it wouldn't be /that/ easy. 

it turns out that brie intends for today to be all about their some sort of reunion, saying words like 'good old times' and 'oh, do you remember when's that get on paige's nerves. obviously she had been close to seth and dean as well and the whole reason for that is because she was with roman. her entire facade while she's seated next to seth and unbelievably opposite paige is to remind paige just how good those times had been. 

roman isn't focused on the conversation, however. their seated on the mats seth had brought and splayed over the sand, packed sandwiches and potato chips scattered in front of them. she makes sure she's tucked right under his tattooed arm, practically on his lap while he sits cross-legged. while brie conversed with nikki, seth, dean and sasha, roman busies himself with rubbing a thumb on the exposed skin of paige's waist, his free hand continuously grabbing food from the plates and bags of chips. 

he only looks up when brie calls his name and paige instinctively presses closer against his chest. brie notices but she ignores it as she speaks. 

"do you remember when we were in florida, roman?" brie asks, completely ignoring the fact that paige is seated right on his lap. "that was actually my personal favorite. just, you know, how much fun we had together there. and your parents were so nice too. i miss them." 

roman frowns and paige recognizes the annoyance in his features so she takes the opportunity to speak, finally gaining brie's attention. "sorry, his memory's been a bit foggy as of late. especially about things that happened ages ago. plus he only remembers the important things, you know." she fakes a laugh, making sure brie is watching as she cups roman's face and shakes her head, sighing softly and running fingers through his wet hair. "crazy how this brain works but bloody hell, i love it." 

he's grinning at her, knowing exactly what she's doing but playing along with her when he leans in to plant a smooch on her lips twice. he turns to brie then and she watches his face as he speaks. "oh yeah, memory's been pretty bad. i try to shut off bad ones, you know. never good to keep bad ones." 

god, she loves him. paige has to bite back a laugh and the temptation to kiss him again, wanting to keep the pda to a minimum. brie looks offended and paige is sure she's close to tears but then dean's standing up, already trying to flee the awkward moment. 

"ah, im gonna be sitting over there," he says, head gesturing over somewhere towards the waters. "gotta get some fresh air." 

as he walks away, brie's up as well and then nikki's following her off. paige chews onto her lower lip, feeling guilty for ruining the moment. seth looks a little disappointed and roman's features have changed to one of guilt and regret and paige couldn't help but assumed he must have not meant what he said, that those memories are still close to his heart. her own heart cracks just a little and that annoying inner voice tells her that she's trying too hard to make sure roman no longer bear feelings for brie bella. 

a little later when she leaves the water after a little swim with sasha, she finds roman talking to brie and she's smiling again before giving him a hug. a little apology there, she assumes, and how easy it is for roman to feel terrible for something that's made paige feel so good. 

at that moment in time, it seems to her that roman would always give in to brie and paige doesn't know who she hates more; brie bella or herself. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

nikki bella can officially say that she does not, not a single bit, like sasha banks, the supposedly three-year long ex of seth rollins. 

dyed pink hair framing a pretty face, petite body clad in her cute little bikini and owning 90% of seth's attention that whole time. nikki doesn't think she should show any sign of possessiveness yet, afraid seth wouldn't like that but it was slowly getting on her nerves. 

she's seated on the mat now next to brie, her twin sister still visibly upset by the awkward conversation that happened just earlier with roman and paige, though only nikki would be able to tell. the whole ordeal was upsetting but even nikki couldn't blame on paige and roman alone, not with how obvious brie had been in trying to rekindle old flames. 

nikki, however, is upset over something else entirely. she'd happily chosen this set of swim wear back at home, her sole purpose being seth would pay attention on her seeing his ex would be around and she didn't know how much of a competition she would be. now that she thinks of it, it shouldn't even be a competition, yet it feels like it is and nikki is losing quite easily. 

she's just a little offended in the midst of the sting and weight on her chest. she wonders silently what sasha has that she doesn't, that apparently is enough to capture nearly every ounce of seth's attention because instead of being with her, he's laughing and getting rolled up in sand with sasha. nikki would have been a little more hurt if paige isn't with them. 

she sees the way he looks at sasha though, and her throat constricts, chest aches. 

a sigh leaves her parted lips as brie stands up and walks off somewhere nikki doesn't bother following. she stays seated as she watches seth, feeling left out and alone and fighting the urge to pack up her bags and drag brie off so they could get home. why is she even here if seth is so busy spending time with his ex? he's probably not over her. nikki should have known that things were too good to be true. 

her attention is averted, however, to sasha when the girl runs from paige and trips, bumping into seth before they both fall into each other's arms. nikki's blood boils and she stands up from where she had been sitting, calming herself down as her hands ball into fists. 

"seth!" she calls, making it seem as though she needed his help as she watches him and sasha quickly jump apart. nikki has never wanted to punch someone so badly and she doesn't know if she wanted to punch sasha or seth. maybe both. 

she runs her fingers through her hair as he makes his way to her, a little frustrated with how things had turned out to be today. she had been so sure that it would be a nice time but brie kept embarrassing herself in front of all of them, roman and paige had been jerks and now seth's going about as if sasha is his girlfriend instead of nikki. she just wants to go home but half of her hopes seth would stop her and make up for his absence. 

when he reaches her, he wears an apologetic look and nikki knows that he knows what the problem is now. she sighs softly, "we need to talk, seth." 

panic flashes in his eyes momentarily before he nods to agree, following her off to a spot further enough from where they had all kept their things so they would be out of hearing. nikki's chest hurt a little and the last time she felt this way was when john had called and said they needed to talk. it didn't end well. 

"look, im sorry about whatever happened out there. it was an accident." he begins explaining and she doesn't know to smile at how adorable he's being or to give him a little slap for being so clueless. 

"it isn't that, seth," she says, looking away from his face for fear she might give in. she knows it's something they need to be serious about; one of them is going to get badly hurt if it goes on. and nikki's got a gut feeling that it would be her. 

"i don't know what im here for." she starts, glancing over at him as she speaks. "you're obviously having fun with your friends and sasha and i think you forgot that im actually here with you. im sorry brie hasn't been in her best mindset and i'll admit that so if that pissed you off then i get it, but you can't shut me out because im not brie." 

one of seth's hand comes up to rub his palm down his face, sighing. "that's not it, nikki. im not mad at you or brie." 

"then what is it?" she prompts, guarding herself as her arms cross on her chest. "is it sasha then? because i see the way you look at her, seth. i know we've only known each other personally for a few months and this between us is really new but im not stupid." 

he's beginning to shake his head, moving a step closer to her. "no, nikki, im not making you feel stupid. i just... when im out there with paige and sasha, it just brought me back to old times and —" 

"you realize you still want her," she finishes it for him, unable to hear him out because it would only hurt to hear it come from his mouth. when he's silent, nikki's vision starts to blur from the tears she didn't want to show up. she breathes out softly, squeezing her eyes shut and willing the tears away. "listen, i don't want to be seeing someone whose heart belongs to someone else. no matter how much i want to be with you, i have respect for myself not to be used by someone who doesn't want me—" 

"i do want you, nikki," he sighs but that was all he said. 

"i believe you but you want her too," nikki looks away from him, eyes scanning the distance where sasha, paige, roman and dean are playing in the water. she doesn't belong here. "i'll give you time. and i don't know how much time you need but i'll wait for you. and once you make your decision and it's me, you know where to find me, seth." 

she walks away then, something she didn't think she would do so soon but it was suffocating her, being around him and knowing he's conflicted between her and an ex he had known for far longer. she seems nothing in comparison to sasha even if she does know her visuals would bring her victory. for the first time in her life, being beautiful on the outside doesn't matter at all. 

 

abandoning sasha to the wreckage roman and paige are causing her sandcastle, dean grabs his bottle of beer and sits by a rock not too far from where his friends are playing. he's pretty sure roman and paige had a little moment just before that dean is somewhat used to but they had quickly made up, as usual. the fight's gonna happen again and brie bella's name is going to come up. 

dean scoffs to himself, taking a swing of the beer bottle and wincing at the taste. he probably shouldn't be drinking at this time but no one's stopping him so why the hell not? 

relationships are complicated, he thinks. he looks at paige and roman and constantly wonders what keeps them going. have they really loved each other for four years? how is it that their love doesn't die in a couple of weeks? perhaps dean is just trying to tell himself that there is no loss in losing april, but who is he even lying to? he had loved her all these years so he does know that the love paige and roman has exists, that it won't die for a long time as long as they fight for it. 

he hopes they would continue to fight for it. 

dean leaves the bottle on the sand and stares straight ahead, beyond the horizon of the sea and reminds himself that he would get somewhere, someday. he doesn't know when or how but he deserves a nice getaway, some place that won't remind him of april mendez, the child and man she had left him for. 

he didn't realize someone had joined him until he hears them clearing their throat, gaining his attention as he turns to see that it was brie. he fights back the urge to roll his eyes, not particularly fond of this bella. dean keeps his silent, gaze back on the crashing waves and people swimming in the waters. 

"sucks being lonely, doesn't it?" she breaks the silence and dean almost comes up with a reply but it would only sound like a denial so he keeps quiet. "it's two different kinds of pain watching people be in love and watching people you're in love with love someone else. but pain, still. just different." 

dean wishes she isn't saying any of this because even if he does know how she feels, there's no way he'd ever sympathize with her, not when it's about paige anyway. "yeah, well, most things in life suck. we gotta deal with it. do what we gotta do." 

"you do know how i feel, though." brie says and he turns to look at her but she doesn't return his gaze, staring off into the waters like he had been. "i saw the way you look at april and i can tell." 

fuck, she knows? she wouldn't be a snitch, would she? she wouldn't walk up to randy and tell him, right? dean wouldn't know. he just hopes she wouldn't; he'd hate to be ruining april's bright future. "dunno what you're on about, bella." 

"oh, come on," brie laughs softly, not even fighting to roll her eyes. "i saw you two, okay? sneaking around as if you're so clever. it's okay, though. i guess it's hard to say no when you want them so badly." 

"you don't know anything," dean mutters, his guard brought down and feeling extremely exposed. "you didn't see anything." 

he feels her eyes on him but thankfully she drops the subject, "alright, alright. i don't know anything, i didn't see." 

a smile curls up at the corners of his lips, shaking his head as he picks up his bottle and drinks from it. "you, though. what were you thinking bringing up some touchy subject earlier? paige's been going through some rough shit because of that." 

"i wasn't thinking, apparently," she says with a soft laugh, sighing right after. "i don't know. i guess i should stop trying. let him be happy with who he wants to be happy with. my time was up a long time ago." 

dean scoffs, playfully so. "good, then. no bad blood though, just trying to protect my little sister paige." 

"you guys are really close, aren't you?" 

should he respond to that? he would normally avoid anything close to sentimental but one glance at paige and he knows even he can't deny that. "yeah, we are. she doesn't just make roman happy, you know? she makes seth happy too. makes me happy, somehow. in a way that's different from roman but happy still." 

brie hums but there's a gentle smile on her lips. for a brief moment, they look at each other in silence, a small, almost sad smile on their faces. dean realizes then how similar their situations are; being in love with someone who is engaged to be married and maybe, just maybe, they've finally reached the same page. he wonders if they'll be sad forever. 

as if reading his thoughts, brie speaks up. "it'll get better, i think. people are always saying that so i'd like to believe there's some truths in it. it gets better. you'll be okay, i'll be okay. and one day watching them love whoever they love won't hurt at all." 

he'd like to believe that too. they share another brief silence before he hears nikki's voice calling for brie. on instinct and in complete and accident synchronization, they both turn their heads to see nikki already packing up her bags. 

"im betting her talk with seth didn't go very well," brie says when she turns back around to look at him. "i'll talk to her though so i hope seth is okay." 

dean clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "im betting rollins fucked up but yeah, i'll probably knock some sense into him." 

brie laughs softly before thanking him and he laughs with her. she gets off the rock they were sitting on then and makes to leave before she turns around to look at him one more time. "have you ever been to molokai?" 

"hawaii?" he cocks a brow questioningly and when she nods, he shakes his head. "no, why?" 

she smiles then and dean thinks she's quite a beauty under the rays of the setting sun. "you should when you get to. you wanted to travel, didn't you? i think it's a nice place to start." 

he doesn't respond but she didn't wait for him to anyway, already turning back to head towards where nikki is waiting for her. he thinks that was a pretty odd and random moment but it wasn't so bad. 

brie bella isn't so bad after all. 

later at home as he lay in bed, dean looks up molokai, hawaii on google and subconsciously started planning just how much he would need to stay there for a little getaway.


	14. Chapter 14

/you have got to be kidding me./ 

roman sighs as he stares at this new batch of students he would be coaching for the year, children of fourteen and below piling in with their parents into the room for their first briefing. not only has he seen allen jones, his college all-time rival and parent of one of his new students, he had also seen brie bella. 

she had apparently come as guardian for her nephew, the twins' older brother's son, as stated in the list that roman was given. how could he have missed that name? 

he had been dragging for this day to come for the past week since he found out that he would have to take in the new batch as well as the one he's already coaching, due to ettore's accident last week. he's a good friend and colleague but roman, as unprofessional as it sounds, hates taking up people's jobs. 

he's already losing time with paige, and now brie is coming in occasionally for the first two months. he knows in his heart paige wouldn't be able to take it lightly; they'd already been arguing on and off since the small beach getaway. he didn't think it could get any worse. 

but of course, life likes to throw surprises right in his face. 

throughout the entire briefing, roman busies himself with everything that had to be done, hoping brie will not start up a conversation because he isn't in the best of moods and fears he would say things that would offend brie, much like he did at the picnic the other day. it didn't end very well for all of them. 

fortunately, brie doesn't strike up any sort of conversation, leaving with a smile towards him before she's leaving with her nephew. his day isn't over, however, because he turns only to be face to face with allen jones. 

paige's voice and thick accent resounds in his head; /bloody bullocks./ 

faking the friendliest smile he could manage, roman greets the man. "yes, mr. jones, anything i could help you with?" 

like all those years ago in college, allen didn't get any friendlier. there's that smug look on his face that roman doesn't ever see him without, except for that one time when dean burned him with an insult just a month before he dropped out of college. dean, that is. allen, sadly, did not drop out like roman would have preferred. 

"i see you're still same old, same old, huh?" allen says after shooing his son off to get out of the room. "except you're without a bella now. tough loss? i bet so. anyone smart enough would make a bella his wife." 

roman wants to punch him just so he would shut up. it seems no one had tried doing that; perhaps he would talk a little less if he has a broken jaw. alas, roman isn't given the chance to, seeing he is a football coach to this man's son and it would definitely put a bad name in his record. 

instead he feigns a frown as if to question, "are you saying that you're fantasizing getting married to a bella? does your.. less fortunate wife know about that?" 

he probably shouldn't have said that, but oh well. 

allen fumes, "fuck off, reigns. if my son wasn't so into this stupid sport, i wouldn't even be here standing this close to you." 

"then by all means, mr. jones," roman gestures towards the exit, still wearing his how-you-smile-at-parents smile. "the door is that way. i hope your drive home is safe and i look forward to instill great knowledge to your talented son." 

he swears he could hear allen huff before the man starts walking away, the door slamming behind him after he leaves. roman wants to laugh at how ridiculously childish allen jones still is but the day isn't over yet. 

it's time to tell paige he'd be seeing brie a lot more this month. now... what kind of approach should he use...? 

\------------------------------------------------ 

as expected, paige didn't take it kindly. 

it started with that bitter expression she wore on her face as she combed out the tangles in her hair and when he assured her that brie wouldn't start a conversation and that it is somewhat part of his job, she had given in and kept quiet until their lights turn off. 

but she had also refused to face him until the next morning. 

and then it goes on and on and on. his schedule became packed with two batches to tend to and every time he couldn't join her for lunch or dinner, brie's name would surface. it's always "i hope you're not just busy spending time with brie" with a laugh she faked or something along the lines of "oh yeah? how's brie doing these days? surely you'd know." 

they would make up come night time and he would hold her close to his chest. he wonders, however, how long this would go on. 

it sucks to be doubted so constantly, to know that paige doesn't trust him enough to not think he's enjoying being away from her. he tries to tell himself that he should never get upset because he has to be the one to assure her that all of what she thought weren't true. and he would do just that, no matter how long it takes. 

he only fears when it would reach his limit. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

not having nikki by his side makes his heart ache for her, yet seth couldn't think of anything more than he thinks about what would happen if he chose sasha, and what would happen if he chose nikki. 

sasha is everything he wanted; they were best friends and she knows him like the back of her hand just as he knows her more than she probably knows herself. with sasha, it's three years' worth of love and affection. and he couldn't even remember why they broke up in the first place. he could choose her and be happy again; he'd go through the same things he went through and it would be okay because they had been okay throughout. 

but then he would remember nikki bella, and how easily she had made him smile and laugh when they were the hardest things for him to do. she had been there for most of the time that he was lonely and she had made him smile at the thought of a /family/, just from the sight of her standing next to an abandoned baby cot and a framed picture of a baby in her hands. 

sasha is familiarity and nikki is a risk. 

he could go back to someone he's used to, someone he's known for a long time, someone he's familiar with. or he could choose to take risks and love a woman who could possibly be the love of his life. 

it has made his head throb and work becomes tough, especially when he has to meet up with nikki for the final decisions of the house she plans to build. she refuses to talk to him and sasha has given him space to think after he told her about everything that is going on. 

though the fact that she's waiting for him as well makes it all harder to do. 

for once or twice, seth thinks about dean and his ambition to travel, wonders if he could tag along and be rid of his love affairs. but he knows deep inside that he needs to make a decision and make it fast; they aren't going to be waiting for him forever. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

dean smiles as he scrolls through pictures of molokai, intrigued by the blue sea and brown sand, the yellow-orange sky at sunset and how he would find the very peace of mind he seeks. there is only one way to find out if the pictures aren't just graphical lies, and that is to get there and see with your own eyes. 

dean ambrose is finally traveling. 

he has more than enough saved up for himself when he last checked his bank account and he plans to head straight for it as soon as mike grants him that three-day unpaid leave. he had asked just yesterday but the asshole has yet to get back to him. 

"hawaii, eh?" a voice interrupts dean's train of thoughts but he doesn't mind, glancing up at mark with a smile and a nod of his head. mark chuckles softly, patting dean on his shoulder. "that why you asked for that leave?" 

dean hums, nodding again. "i need the break, man. you know what i mean? been a tough time in tough years. but im still here so i gotta reward myself." 

"i get it, man," mark sighs softly as he takes a seat next to dean on the bench. they share a lunch break today and dean hadn't gone to grab anything to eat. "there was once when it got so goddamn hard on me i ain't got no faith no more. but it gets better, ya know? it always does. slowly, but it will. if you has good friends and good people around you, you'll make it." 

dean takes in every word mark is saying and though it's hard to believe that now, he's certain roman and seth would always be there for him and they are, to him, those good friends and good people. not to mention paige as well; he wouldn't have done half the things he had done for the past four years if paige hadn't been around. 

he flashes a grateful smile at mark as the older man claps him on his shoulder once again, going back to his phone where pictures of the beach and the sea stare up at him from his phone screen. mark goes on to grab something from his locker before be leaves the room and dean hears someone else enter. 

it's kevin at the door looking at him so dean looks away with an exaggerated sigh. he honestly isn't in the mood to banter and he won't be letting kevin ruin this pretty decent day. it was silent for a moment, but then kevin speaks up, sounding annoyed. 

"mike wants to see you," he said, giving dean and stink eye to which he easily ignores. 

dean pockets his phone, faking a smile at kevin. "good, he must want to see me about the leave i asked for. good day, friend." 

kevin doesn't say anything as dean claps him on the back with a scoff, leaving the locker room to head towards mike's office just next door. he doesn't wait for permission to enter when he does right after a knock, faking another smile at his manager while he sits himself on one of the chairs opposite mike. 

"i could fire you right there, ambrose," mike says, closing the files he was apparently checking. "for entering without permission." 

dean shrugs his shoulders and then nods, causing mike's ears to go a little red at the tips. he wants to laugh; it's so easy to make mike this angry and all he had to do was shrug his shoulders. 

mike seems to calm himself down, sighing softly and clasping his hands together. "i'll approve of your leave but in order to make up for it, you'll have to do three days of double shifts. it's not a question, it's an order." 

"is that all?" dean asks. 

his manager frowns, looking a little confused. "what?" 

dean rolls his eyes, sitting forward in his seat. "im asking if that's all you have to say to me." 

mike nods his head slowly, watching as dean gets up and smile at him, still looking confused. dean doesn't allow any more time for mike to start asking questions, leaving the office and going back to his station when his break time ends. 

he's going on a vacation, and he's finally going to get that peace of mind he had been searching for for so long. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

it's a flash of pink hair and pink lips and beautiful dark skin and then sasha is kissing him square on his mouth. 

he doesn't know why, but he kisses her back anyway. 

that was familiar, that was happiness, that was home. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

it gets worst. 

it has been getting worst since he told her that brie had kissed him. 

the fear and insecurities inside her grow like bacteria, latching itself onto every inch of her until all she could think about are what they plant in her head. she hates it; she wishes she could stop half the things that she says to roman because when they leave her lips, his grey eyes flash with pain before they disappear and he'd push it aside so he could hold her and tell her that those thoughts aren't true. 

no, he doesn't see brie half as much as he thought he would. no, they don't ever talk when they do meet. no, brie doesn't even acknowledge him when it isn't necessary. 

but her thoughts tell her that, yes, he probably sees her a lot more than he thought he would. yes, they talk all the time. yes, brie probably tried to kiss him again. 

and maybe he had kissed her back. you wouldn't know that, would you, paige? you wouldn't know because you couldn't see what he does when he isn't with you. 

she hates those thoughts but it makes her heart aches and fear grows heavy in her head. 

paige knows she shouldn't blame him for the times that they lost; he makes a living out of a job he loves passionately, but how is it that the bad thoughts could crawl back into her mind every single time she manages to get rid of them? she could feel the obvious drift between them and there's no one to blame but herself. 

she's seated now in the kitchen, spreading butter on the toast she had made for him. she couldn't remember what they were fighting about just last night but it was probably her acting up again. there's no surprise there. it also wasn't the first night that they didn't make up after what felt like hours of arguing. he is probably getting tired of her; she knows she would be if she was in his place. 

when his phone rings, she doesn't look up, putting the buttered toasts onto his plate and pushing it over to him so he could eat it. she doesn't listen to the phone conversation either, busying herself with buttering her own toast. she probably wouldn't even eat it; she hates butter. 

he takes a bite out of his toast and they stay in silence as she places the spread knife back to where it's usually placed. roman only speaks when his toast is finished and only breadcrumbs litter his plate, her own toast cold and hard now. "i can't see you for lunch or dinner today. just got called in for work." 

a weight rests on her chest heavily and her throat closes up, unable to stop the thoughts from coming back and clouding her rationality. her gaze lifts to meet his, growing angry that it's another saturday lost to his bloody job and possibly that bloody brie bella. 

roman, already knowing the look on her face, sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "paige, it's work. i have to go to work." 

"oh, really? or is that just an excuse so you could go and meet that whore of an ex of yours?" she asks, her voice venomous as she balls a hand into a fist, gaze unfaltering. 

perhaps she shouldn't have said what she just did because it seems roman has lost his patience for all of her ridicule. perhaps roman has lost patience for her. the thought causes her throat to constrict but she clenches her jaw to stop herself from showing any sign of weakness, flinching at the words he says next. 

"im not doing this again with you," he shakes his head, getting up from where he was seated to leave his plate in the sink. "im so done." 

her own anger sparks at his words, laughing humorlessly, "you're done with me, huh? if you're done with me then why the fuck did you ask me to marry you, you fucking asshole?!" 

"because i love you!" he roars back, tossing the cloth he was using to wipe his hands onto the floor. "i asked you to marry me because i love you but apparently you don't feel the same way." 

paige gasps, standing up from her seat as well. she's part glad that dean and seth aren't home; it would be embarrassing for them to be witnessing this. "what the fuck was that supposed to mean, roman? what do you mean i don't feel the same way? why the hell would i say yes when you asked me then?" 

"if you love me, you would trust me, paige. that's all i ask. one fucking time for you to just trust me. is that so hard to do? because you're not doing it. you say you love me all the time but the second brie is mentioned you accuse me of two-timing you, you tell me things that meant im seeing her behind your back. where is the trust in that?" he snaps, more than the anger in his voice she could see hurt in his grey eyes. 

"i do trust you—" she tries to deflect his words but he doesn't allow it. 

"no, you don't." he shakes his head and it's his turn to chuckle now though there is no trace of humor in it. "you don't trust me because if you do then we wouldn't be having this fucking conversation again." 

it was enough to shut her up and she stays silent as he continues to speak. "i don't know, paige. i love you, i do, but there's only so much that i could take. i've done everything i could to make sure you know that but apparently they weren't enough for you to trust me. and it hurts when you doubt me, paige. it fucking hurts every time i couldn't see you and i missed you but all you do is accuse me of cheating on you. im tired and im done with this. im done." 

with that, he begins walking away, his hand purposely hitting the glass of water on the table so it crashes onto the floor, an obvious show of his anger, before he's walking out of the kitchen. paige could hear the front door open and then his car is off, taking him where paige couldn't follow. 

the cracked pieces of glass on the floor stare up at her, a mirror image of her heart now in her chest; broken into pieces and her engagement ring heavy on her finger.


	15. Chapter 15

she misses him. 

she misses his arms around her while they take walks after a long day at the office. she misses the way he would kiss her temple before he steals one on her lips. she misses waking up at seven in the morning on saturdays so they'd hit the gym together. 

she misses all of him and she wishes she had been stupid enough to not walk away because now there's no saying what will happen to them. has seth chosen sasha? does she no longer exist in the equation? 

was she only a rebound? 

nikki doesn't know. she fears she will never know. seth could be cuddled up with sasha now on the couch, watching shows on tv, the way nikki had imagined doing with seth when they get even closer. now it seems they will only get farther. 

she sighs now as she wipes off another tear that's rolled down her cheek, eyes on the screen of her tv but not focusing on anything the characters are saying. her heart feels heavy and empty at the same time and she years for seth's presence, pathetically so. she's shed tears occasionally since the last time she saw him and it was beginning to annoy her just how weak she's become. 

where is the tough and strong nikki she's promised to always be no matter the circumstances? how is it that seth rollins could easily break down the walls she's built all these years? for a very brief second, nikki hates him. but the thought only bring her another set of tears and this time brie won't keep her silence. 

"i feel like if i give seth rollins a punch in his jaw, he'll be able to think straight." brie says and there's a sense of worry in her voice as she joins nikki on the couch with a bowl of junk food. 

nikki buries a hand into the chips, grabbing a fistful. "i guess he'll make his own decisions when he's ready. thing is i'll never know when he will be, or if he already made his decision. it just sucks cause she has a better chance than i do and i feel so pathetic for wanting him this badly." 

fuck, it's so annoying how much she's crying but she couldn't stop as brie takes her into her arms and rocks her back and forth gently. she stuffs the chips into her mouth and chews almost angrily so, wiping at her cheeks with her free hand. 

"is it twin curse that we should feel this kind of heartbreak together, nikki?" brie asks in a whisper into her hair and nikki feels her heart constrict, aching. 

she pulls away from brie and looks at her twin, thinks about how they are both seeking for the love of a man whose heart belongs to someone else and decides that it probably is a curse. for once, however, nikki straightens up and takes up her role as the older one between the two. she sniffles, shaking her head at brie. "it may be so but we'll go through everything together, okay? there is no you and i, there is only us. you'll find someone you'll eventually love more than you ever loved roman." 

"and you'll find someone who won't have to choose between the past and the present," brie chimes in and nikki knows she means well but it feels like a stab through her heart though it was intended for seth. 

maybe she will, maybe she'll find someone who makes her feel the way seth made her feel. 

but who is she kidding, really? 

\------------------------------------------------ 

midnight. 

in five minutes, it would be midnight and a new day would start. 

may 25. 

four years ago, paige would be on her phone, ready to call him just in time to wish him a happy birthday. last year, she'd been in his arms, a kiss to his jaw and a whispered 'happy birthday' to the shell of his ear. tonight, she stares at their message thread, a thumb hovering over the send button after typing out an awkward wish, contemplating on whether or not she should send the message. 

midnight passes. paige deletes it. 

she doesn't know if they've broken up; she still wears her ring and she stares it more times than she should. when roman had walked out the other day, she'd packed up some of the stuff she needed and left as well, figured roman wouldn't want to see her when he gets home. she feels oddly empty when the sun is up, ignoring sasha's attempts to talk to her. come night time, however, the pain comes at full force and she misses him terribly, crying herself to sleep nearly every night of those two weeks since their big fight. 

paige wonders if they have reached the end and though it has never been something she thought would happen, a part of her thinks it could be for the best. roman was right in everything that he spat out at her; she doubted him when there was no reason to, she didn't trust him when he's given his all to her. she lets her jealousy get the best of her 

and now she's without the one person she's given herself to, the one person she's brought her walls down for, the person who knew her at her best and her worst. 

roman is slipping off her fingers and she has no one else to blame but herself. 

paige sighs now as she sips at her soda, seated at a bar in a club she hasn't been to for awhile in the city. alone, heavy-hearted and missing roman. more times than once she finds herself staring into the black of her soda, sighing again and then again. she should probably order something strong to numb the pain; it'd be nice to be able to sleep without crying for one night. she parts her lips then, ready to make her order but gets interrupted by a familiar voice. 

"i'll have beer, two of that, thank you," dean orders, taking a seat on the empty bar stool just next to her. he leans a little and ruffles up the top of her hair, to which she grunts and attempts to push his hand away. "been two weeks since i saw you, ghostie." 

"don't call me that," paige mutters, taking another sip of her soda. 

"don't change the subject," 

"oh, i didn't know we were discussing a particular subject." she looks at him then, sarcasm in her voice though she doesn't know why she's throwing this ugly attitude on him. 

dean only rolls his eyes, paying up for the beer before pushing a pint towards paige. "don't give me that attitude, knight. im pretty much telling you i missed you." 

paige sighs, guilty for lashing out at him before she takes the pint and takes a gulp, wincing right after. "god, i hate beer. but i'll take this because i missed you too, deano." 

he laughs softly, drinking up his beer before he places the pint down. "so when are you coming back to ours?" 

"i don't think im still welcomed," 

"'course you are," dean looks genuinely confused and paige wonders if he knew at all. 

"you do know that roman technically broke up with me, right?" ouch, she never thought it would hurt to admit that aloud but it sounded like the truth anyway. isn't it? 

dean rolls his eyes, taking another gulp of beer. "did he tell you he's breaking up with you?" and when paige stays silent, dean speaks again. "no, so no, he didn't break up with you." 

paige could feel an impending series of tears about to embarrass her out in the open; she doesn't think dean would know the seriousness of this situation. he wasn't there. deciding to change the subject, paige takes another drink. winces. "how are- how are things at home? good?" 

"terrible," he shakes his head, ordering for another pint. "seth's moping around like he did when he broke up with sasha and i hardly see roman much. he's either asleep or at work. probably why i missed you, casper. im lonely." 

she doesn't know to smile or not to smile. in a way, it feels nice to know that she's missed. she's concerned for seth but the thought that weighs heaviest is how roman is hardly home. 

there you go again, paige knight. you stupid bitch. he left because of your stupid doubts. paige wants to give her own face a slap but fists both her hands to stop herself. she shakes her head then, clearing her throat before releasing yet another sigh. 

"hey," she looks up again when she feels a hand on her shoulder. "im not saying that you should go do something about it but you definitely should do something about it. you know those couples you guys root for in those tv shows we watch together?" 

she smiles, grateful for his presence here tonight. when she nods her head, dean chuckles softly. "i root for you guys just like that. this whole thing is just a misunderstanding, and it would just suck to let that be the reason you guys don't work out. between just the two of you, you know who needs to do what." 

he stands up then after finishing his second beer, ruffling up her hair once again before he plants a smooch to the side of her head. he promises to see her around just before he leaves and all paige could think about is what he said to her. her thoughts race and mind reels but she knows what she has to do. 

if she wants to eventually sleep without crying first, she would have to do it sooner than later. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

kissing sasha was a mistake. 

he knows because when he closes his eyes, all he could see and feel and think about is nikki. nikki. nikki. nikki. even when sasha's lips press against his own, all he could feel is nikki's; soft, warm, sweet on his chapped lips. when sasha's arms wind around his neck, all he could think about is nikki pressed so close to him like this and that's when he /knows/. 

choosing sasha would be a mistake, because when he closes his eyes at night, seth sees nikki's smile and hears her voice. for brief moments, he wonders if he had eventually gone crazy. 

but more times than most, seth knows he would happily go crazy for nikki bella. 

after a night of staying up just thinking, seth fell asleep at three in the morning with his decision made. he woke up and texted sasha right away, for fear he would lose the courage to, and they made plans to meet that afternoon. which led him here now, seated at their favorite café, exactly where he had been seated nearly half a year ago, about to do the same thing all over again. 

break sasha's heart. 

she's seating opposite him, looking closer to being pissed off than anything. the first time they sat like this and he broke up with her, her face had been hard to read. she must have known what's coming for her. seth feels like a complete jerk. 

he parts his lips to speak but sasha beats him to it. "you're choosing her, aren't you?" 

seth clamps his mouth shut, looking away from the disappointment in her face and guilty for hurting her once again. but he knows what he wants and what he needs and choosing sasha would only hurt her even more in the end. "im.. im in love with her, sasha. she's all i think about. she makes me happy." 

sasha's lips quiver and she looks like she's about to burst into tears but instead she heaves out a breath and looks away, taking a couple of minutes to calm herself as seth allows her the time and space. "so... there is no future for us then, is there?" 

"sasha.." seth starts, throat constricting and heart breaking. he hates that look on her face and the crack in her voice but there was nothing he could except to stay silent, letting it be an answer enough for her question. 

she holds up a hand to stop his attempt at explaining himself, though he has nothing to say. she stands up from her seat then and unlike the last time, sasha doesn't say anything before she shoulders her bag and walks away. 

seth doesn't doubt it would be the last time he would see or hear from her for a long while. he sighs then, feeling below zero as he snakes out his phone to type out a message to nikki, hoping she would still be waiting for him. he misses her and if it was up to him, seth would just drive over to her place and kiss her the moment she opens the door. 

he gets up from his seat and walks out of the café as well, rephrasing his sentences in the text so as to make sure he doesn't sound pathetic. it's when he looks up to see where he was going that he sees her; nikki bella, smiling brightly as the man she is with opens the car door for her and just like his fears, nikki disappears into another man's territory. 

and he can't help but think he's too late. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

paige was right when she talked about how brie bella seems to appear out of nowhere, because now dean sits on the hood of brie's car with her next to him on a hill high enough to look over the city. it's a cold night but not freezing and dean is enjoying the view. 

they had bumped into each other earlier that night when he had just finished his shift, having left his motorbike at home because roman had given him a ride to work this morning. he had been in a queue for subway, a much needed dinner when he felt a tap on his shoulder and, feeling generous, had offered to buy the bella a sandwich. in return, she had driven them here to enjoy the peace and quiet. 

she's still slowly chewing her sandwich and dean had long finished his, resting back on his palms as he stares up at the night sky instead. he has always liked vast spaces and peace and silence; the city can be a bit too much for him sometimes. 

"you like the stars?" brie asks, wrapping up her food and placing it next to her before she takes a sip of her diet coke. "i always liked the stars. nicole, not so much. she prefers the crowd and the attention, boys, the sea. but me? up there and what goes on that makes this world, you know?" 

dean smiles though a voice questions him just when exactly he had turned this soft. talking about the stars and the universe like he always has back when he was ten? and with brie bella? no way. he only nods, composing his facial expression so as to not show her too much. "yeah, it's a wonder. like how exactly did it all start? i don't believe in those science bull crap." 

the bella twin laughs softly and he could feel her watch him briefly before she looks away and he took this chance to glance at her. he thinks her eyes sparkled for that brief moment. ambrose, get yourself together. 

"well," brie sighs then, her gaze falling onto the city streets, still alive with lights and cars packing up the roads. it's a friday night, no one is staying home. "are you supposed to be out with your friends tonight, dean?" 

dean couldn't really recall who else calls him by his first name besides roman, seth and paige. he's used to being called ambrose everywhere he goes so it makes him smile, somehow, that she doesn't call him that. "no. seth is probably in his room. and roman's heading back to pensacola tomorrow so he's probably packing up. you? anywhere to be?" 

"actually," brie flashes him a smile, cheeky and a little apologetic as she slides off the hood of her car and faces him. "i need a favor." 

he raises a brow questioningly, unsure if he's even up for helping brie bella get a job done. who is he kidding though? he'd rather help her than stay home with two, broody men. "what is it?" 

"see, my friend invited me to a party," brie clears her throat, fiddling with her fingers. "and everyone who's invited are kinda either engaged or married, or just, you know, taken and i'd be so embarrassed to attend being the only one single. im thirty years old, dean." 

dean chuckles as he hops off the hood of the car as well, taking the leftover sandwich she'd left behind. gesturing as if to ask if he could have it, brie nods and he proceeds to get into the car without a word. she looks like she's panicking when she slides into the driver's seat, a frown on her forehead. 

"please help me?" she touches his arm, "please? i'll do whatever you want me to do if you could help me, dean ambrose." 

he raises a brow again, amused with how easily he could tease her right now. "anything?" 

brie seems to regret her offer but she confirms it less than a minute later, nodding her head and looking defeated. he finishes her sandwich and gestures for her to start the car, which she did without question though he knows she's waiting for his response. 

"alright, i'll go," he says then, unable to bite back his smile. "on one condition, though." 

"anything," she nods and there's already a huge grin coloring her lips. 

dean finds it somewhat precious and it's the most he's had fun since april left him. "april's wedding is in less than two months. if you promise to be my date to the wedding, i'll go with you tonight and pretend we have a thing going on." 

brie's smile widens into an outright grin, her head nodding again as she takes a left to where he assumes the part would be. he wants to laugh but stops when she leans in to kiss him on the cheek. he glances at her then and she flashes him another bright grin. "thank you." 

well, at least he doesn't have to see roman's and seth's sad faces tonight. besides, brie bella's not that bad after all.


	16. Chapter 16

brie's friends, and she forgot to mention this, were some of the people he knew in college. the moment he stepped into the house, dean spots charlotte flair, arm hooked around dolph ziggler's while they converse with alexa bliss and her partner, baron corbin. dean's first instinct is to run; these people know him as roman's friend who dropped out of college and he sure as hell does not want to spend the night communicating with these people. 

before brie could pull him further inside, he grabs her by the arm and pulls her to the side to speak in a hushed voice. "did you forget to mention that these friends of yours, you know, actually know me?" 

"i," brie glances back around towards who dean guesses would be the party host, and finally someone he doesn't recognize. "look, im sorry i forgot to mention it but it's gonna be real fast. an hour tops, i promise. i told nicole i'll be home with her before midnight." 

he doesn't get to speak when she smiles up at him a little too fondly and he knows the acting is on; he would have to pretend to be her boyfriend now. and to top it all, she leans up and places a soft kiss to the very corner of his lips and then she's pulling him towards her friends, who are already cooing at her. them. 

/fuck me./ 

\------------------------------------------------ 

the hour brie promised became two hours and dean is more than ready to call it a night. at least the food was good and the men who talked to him didn't bring up his failure of a past. the acting, however, didn't go full blast until brie is pulling him towards the group of couples she's been talking to you and then right in front of them, leans up to kiss him square on his lips. 

dean blinks once, twice. a pinch to his side and he takes it fairly quickly, so he kisses back. right, acting. with how he's doing, it doesn't look like he would earn an oscar nominee anytime soon. 

"i didn't know you guys were together," alexa comments, wearing that huge ass smile of hers that dean never liked. 

they'd gone over the story in the car; a bump in roman and the boys at a fast food joint led to accidental bump-ins that eventually led to this dating thing. it's simple and such and mostly true so dean had simply agreed. 

"we actually weren't," brie says with a soft laugh. "but you know, things could happen unexpectedly and you just know it's right." 

he's glad she takes up the job to do the talking but she's looking up at him now with that look on her face and that softness in her eyes and suddenly it all felt too real. he couldn't help his own smile and without thinking twice, he leans down to kiss her once again. her cheeks colored just slightly. 

he laughs then and looks at the people watching them, "crazy, ain't it? brie bella and dean ambrose. who would've thought?" 

the rest of them seemed to have believed the act and if they don't, they don't show it. by the end of the night, dean bids goodbye to those who bid him goodbye and he waits for brie to kiss her friends goodnight with promises of meeting up again. they don't talk much as they both got into her car and they stayed silent as she begins driving towards his place. he's beginning to wonder if she regretted bringing him to the party. 

he is only a drop out after all. and he works at a gas station, for fucks sake. 

busying his mouth by chewing gum, dean refuses to be the one to start a conversation so he stares out the window instead as she drove. after a little while, it was brie who started talking again and he's glad she doesn't sound any different from when they had met at subway. maybe she didn't regret it after all. 

"so," she says with a chuckle, "that wasn't so bad, was it? i had fun." 

dean releases a soft chuckle of his own, rolling his eyes playfully. "still pissed you didn't tell me they were from college, not just yours but ours." 

brie laughs, shaking her head. "it completely slipped my mind! i swear to god, i forgot we went to college together." 

"was it because i dropped out?" dean had meant to be playful but brie's smile had faltered and she's looking seriously at him. 

"you know that's not true, dean," she says, driving into the neighborhood he calls his. "it honestly slipped my mind that we went to college together." 

dean taps at her arm, "hey, don't worry. i was playing with you. honestly doesn't bother me one bit." 

"but it does, though," brie continues and it's dean's smile that disappears this time. "it's been bothering you all these years, i could tell." 

he thanks whatever forces there is that he doesn't have the time to respond to her because just at that moment, she stops the car just by his driveway. he flashes her a smile then, signalling the end of conversation. 

"hey," he says just after opening the door, a foot out of the car. "you know you don't need to pretend to have a boyfriend to fit in. when the time comes, it'll come." 

brie's lips stretch into anorher smile then and she nods her head, her voice soft. "thank you for tonight, dean. i hope we could catch up soon." 

"yeah," dean laughs softly, stepping out of the car. "you've a niche for turning up somewhere out of a sudden so im sure that'll happen again. thanks, bella." 

she laughs as well and her eyes are soft and warm. "it's brianna. you can call me brianna." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

all of the courage she had gathered the entire time today disappeared in a second the moment she sees brie's car pull out of roman's driveway. her heart races against her chest and the night seems to get darker. paige doesn't know if she should go through with her initial plan and talk to roman. 

she makes a turn to screw the idea but a silent voice nudges at her and reminds her exactly what got them here in the first place; apart and nearly broken up and it was all because she had doubted his loyalty and love for her. paige curses under her breath. 

she needs to trust him this once, even if it's for the last time. 

taking a deep breath, paige makes her way up the porch and braces herself before knocking on the door. she hears dean yell for seth to open the door and her breath hitches in her throat; this is really happening and she's so close to breaking into tears and embarrass herself in front of seth and dean and roman. 

fuck. 

the door opens and seth's lips curl into an immediate smile as he pulls her into his arms. she returns the embrace, having missed seth as well for the last couple of weeks. he doesn't say anything as he pulls her inside and closes the door and already aware of why she had come, he gestures towards roman's bedroom door, indicating that he's inside. 

"good luck, casper." dean whispers to her as she walks towards what used to be the room she shares with roman and she smiles at him in thanks. 

she takes a couple more of deep breaths before she knocks onto the door, turning the knob without waiting for a response and opening the door to find roman seated cross-legged in bed, arms folded while he stares at the clothes laying around waiting to be stuffed into the lullage he had prepared. he looks up at her and there's surprise and longing in his eyes and paige wants so badly to walk over and kiss him because she had missed him so much, but she had come to do one thing. 

and she hopes it would help them both. 

taking multiple steps into the room, paige closes the gap between them as roman shifts to sit at the edge of the bed, jaw clenching and waiting for her to speak. she couldn't find proper words so she does what she's come to do; she slips the ring off of her finger and places it on the bedside table just next to him. he's silent for a second and when she turns to leave, he speaks. 

"so that's it, huh?" he says, his voice soft anf the anger that was once there when they had last seen each other is gone. "you wanna call it off?" 

"i don't," she blurts out. 

roman's gaze lift up to look at her and then back at the ring. "put it back on." 

she blinks and it's tempting but she has thought this over so many times and what he said was not how she had imagined it. "i just. i don't think you'd still wanna marry me. i think you're better off with someone better." 

"i don't want better," he mutters and he's looking up at her again now. he looks sad and all she wants to do is wrap her arms around his neck and hold him. "i want you to put this ring back on your finger if you still love me, if you still want to be with me. if you leave, i'll get my answer." 

paige looks away from him and up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. when she looks at him again, the tears fall anyway and she wipes them off quickly with the back of her hand. "i do want to be with you, roman. i love you. but im just. ive been bad to you constantly and i don't feel like i deserve you at all." 

she watches as he picks up the ring and fiddles with it in his large hands, and then he's standing up and closing the gap between them, taking her hand before slipping the ring back in on her finger. she's silent as he lifts her hand to kiss her knuckles and she misses the feel of the scruff of his trimmed beard on her skin. 

"yeah, you've been really bad to me," he says then, not letting go of her hand just yet. "but it don't mean i don't love you no more. don't mean i changed my mind about spending my whole life with you." 

"but-" 

roman shakes his head and gives her hand a squeeze, sighing softly. "i love you, so im gonna fight for it, for us, no matter what. i ain't leavin' you just 'cause you got some insecurity issues to fix. im stayin' right next to you, help you get better. so fight for us, paige. if you love me and want to be with me, you'll stay tonight and let me hold you." 

it feels as though her guard had been smashed through when she bursts into tears and collapses against his broad chest, allowing him to wrap his muscled arms around her smaller frame and thinking she's finally home. she misses the way his strong arms keep her safe, misses the scent of his aftershave still lingering on his stubbled jaw. 

after a while of just staying like that as she calms down from her emotions, roman pulls away just a little bit to smile down at her, placing a kiss to the top of her head. "don't ever take that ring off your finger, you hear me, woman?" 

"if you call me that again, i might." paige teases back, voice still cracking from her crying just minutes ago. she smiles up at him adoringly, a hand raised to swipe a thumb over the spot under his eye. "you're not sleeping well, are you?" 

roman shakes his head, that same rare pout forming on his lips that made her laugh before he's leaning down to kiss her softly. "i tried hugging your big teddy to bed but it doesn't feel like you." 

"well, you can sleep easy tonight, i promise." she grins, leaning up this time to press more kisses to his lips. "gosh, i miss your pancakes." 

"my pancakes?" his brows raised, teasing. 

paige laughs and there's a sense of coming home to all of this. she pats his bottom before nodding her head, just as teasing as he is. "those cakes, and the pancakes you make in the morning." 

he smothers her then with more kisses to her face and speaks between kisses to her lips. "i'll make you pancakes for breakfast. stay." 

"im not going anywhere, roman," she cups his face, planting a smooch onto his lips. "im staying, for life." 

roman's smile widens and his eyes glistened with happy tears that her heart squeezes for. 

"for life." 

\------------------------------------------------ 

she receives a text from seth so early in the morning, blinking open her eyes to the sound of her phone telling her she's got a new message. she has to read it over ten times to register it in her head that he wants to see her. 

well, it could go two ways. 

one, he's going to officially end their relationship, meaning he had chosen sasha. or two, he had chosen her. 

nikki's heart races against her chest. it could either go very well or it could go very bad and nikki's not ready for either of that. she groans then and spends another fifteen minutes trying to decide if she wants to go. 

at last, of course, she had missed him too much to refuse. 

shower was quick and putting on make up even quicker. she'd picked out a simple black dress to wear and put her hair in a bun. she finds brie in the kitchen preparing breakfast while on the phone, smiling and laughing into the conversation before she hangs up once she notices nikki is up and ready. brie looks... fresh, somehow. and nikki could see that sparkle in her eyes. 

"who was that?" nikki asks, taking a seat on the chair and pouring herself a glass of water. 

brie only shrugs but there's a tiny smile on her lips. "a friend. you're looking well. going out already? nikki, it's eleven in the morning on a saturday." 

"seth texted me earlier," nikki sighs, taking a sip of her water. "to meet for lunch and settle things, i guess. im nervous." 

her sister takes a bite of the bread she takes out of the pack, sitting down opposite nikki. "listen, whatever happens, you've been through worst and you'll make it through this one just fine, okay? and im here with you." 

nikki smiles at brie and nods her head, standing up from her seat so she could get going. "i'll go now. i'll see you later, brianna. and im asking you for details on that friend you've been talking to." 

brie laughs and reaches out to smack nikki's butt as she walks past. "yeah, sure. if there are things to tell, i'll tell." 

"im sure there is." nikki teases just as she waves her sister goodbye, leaving the house without waiting for brie to say anything. 

the drive to the restaurant didn't take too long and seth is already there when she arrives. he looks... as good as she remembers him to be and nikki has a hard time trying to stop herself from running into his arms. 

he pulls her chair for her and helps her sit and they stayed silent for a few minutes while ordering their lunch. it was seth who speaks up and nikki looks up from staring at her hands to meet his gaze. he looks almost sad and nikki's heart picks up pace again, scared for what's to become of them. is this the end? 

"i just," seth clears his throat, looking as though he would rather be somewhere else. "want to get straight to the point." 

and just like that, nikki's appetite dissolves along with her mood to exist. today seems to be bad already. she stays silent, however, keeping her eyes on him and letting him talk instead. she won't say anything unless necessary. 

seeing that she isn't going to speak, seth continues. "i know that you've already started seeing someone else but i just.. i wanted to let you know that i ended things with sasha because i couldn't think of being happy with her when all i could think about is you." 

wait, /what/? seeing someone else? ended things with pink haired cutie? nikki couldn't even begin to register all of this in her slow little brain but she stops him from saying any more by holding up a hand. "what are you talking about, rollins?" 

seth looks embarrassed and nikki feels bad for it but she couldn't exactly understand what he's been saying. he sighs then, running a palm down his face. "i said i chose you and i would kiss you right now if you aren't already seeing some other, big guy." 

nikki wants to scream. 

"why aren't you kissing me then?" 

he looks genuinely confused and nikki must have missed something that he said. seth frowns, "because you're seeing someone?" 

now she gets it but she frowns anyway, confused on what he's on about. "im not seeing anyone, seth." 

"but what about that guy?" 

"what guy?" 

seth purses his lips, "i saw you get into some guy's car two days ago." 

nikki wouldn't blame herself for how slowly her mind is registering all of this. first of all, /yes/! yes yes yes. he'd chosen her. her over sasha who seemed to be smart and witty and pretty and he'd chosen her. second of all, gosh, seth looks so good. so she has a hard time remembering who exactly she had been out with two days ago and when she does remember, nikki couldn't bite back her giggle. 

"seth rollins," she shakes her head at him, unable to bite back her grin. "that man i went out with the other day was my colleague. his name is brock and he has the most adorable children ever. he's like a brother to me." 

seth looks sheepish then, his frown gone and a smile slowly curling up the corners of his lips. he's embarrassed, she could tell but she takes one of his hands in both of hers to give it a squeeze, searching for his eyes. god, she misses looking into his eyes. he smiles at her then and lifts her hand to kiss the back of it. 

"so," seth clears his throat, "does that mean we can start over?" 

nikki smiles cheekily at him, "why start over when we can just pick up from where we left? i missed you, seth. like, a lot." 

with that and his smile widening, he tugs at her hand and she gets off her seat to go ovet to his, sitting herself on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck before leaning down to kiss him once, twice, three times. 

"i miss you too, nicole," he murmurs against her lips into the kiss, his hands warm on each of her hips. "im glad i get to call you mine again." 

nikki grins, another kiss to his lips. "so am i."


	17. Chapter 17

"ugh, you're making this harder than it actually is, roman!" paige grunts in frustration as she grabs her purse and leaves the room to trail after him. she finds him outside without the necktie she had struggled to help put on him and she could actually feel her blood boiling. alas, she inhales deeply and rolls her eyes as she speaks. "fine, we're going without the bloody tie." 

roman cackles, grabbing his car keys and sharing a look with seth that only pisses paige off even more. "you could have just dropped it an hour ago when i said i ain't wearing anything 'round my neck." 

paige grunts again, frustrated and choosing to ignore her fiancé as she turns to give herself a final once over on how she looks. it's april mendez's wedding day and paige is clad in her white dress, a contrast to her dark hair and make up. the boys are already suited up, clean and neat and looking rather odd since paige has yet to get used to roman, seth and dean ( especially dean ) in black suits. 

just about two days ago, dean had confessed that his plus one would be brie and paige had taken about five minutes glaring at him. though she no longer doubts roman, the idea of having brie bella around is something paige needs time to get used to. of course, she got over it fairly quickly and now the bella twins are helping her make sure her hair doesn't how she doesn't want it to go. 

nikki and brie had arrived just an hour earlier, nikki being seth's date and brie, as dean would put it and emphasized, dean's plus one. they had planned to head to the wedding together so paige had done her best to be in her best behavior. brie doesn't seem so bad after all. 

"alright, come on, ladies," dean says then, gesturing for the three ladies to follow him out. "rome's already started the car. chop chop, time to go." 

it's times like these that roman's seven-seater MPV comes in handy. paige sits herself on the passenger seat while seth and nikki take up the second row and brie and dean at the back. seth and nikki exchange whispers in the back and brie is laughing to something dean must have said. 

as usual, paige basks in the view of roman driving, it being one of her favorite views. she's just oddly attracted to the amount of focus on his face while he drives. it's weird, but she accepts it. reminded by the way he had ditched the necktie she'd picked out for him, paige frowns and reaches over to cover up the little skin roman is showing from his unbuttoned collar. 

"you should really have worn that tie, roman." she says, huffing softly. 

unknown to her, the rest of the passengers had been listening too and nikki chimes in. "yeah, seth, i think you should have too. i mean, i think you'd look hot in it. besides, imagine the things we could do /after/ the after party." 

paige wants to laugh at the way seth chokes, certain that nikki had planted images in seth's head that won't make it any comfortable for him. roman shakes his head with a chuckle and then he glances over at seth through the rearview mirror. 

"i think dean looks just fine without it, though," brie speaks up then and paige turns her head to see dean smiling even though he looks away from all of them. brie continues, reaching over to pat his chest. "show off a little chest, drive them girls crazy." 

nikki turns around too then and her voice is playful, "you better be careful, brianna. gotta take care of your man." 

"yeah, those girls could get real crazy," paige inputs, teasing and liking the slight pink on dean's and brie's cheeks. "keep your arm around his, though, make sure they know who he came with." 

brie only laughs in what paige knows is an attempt to hide her blush, "he's not my man," 

"no?" seth joins in now and paige knows dean isn't going to hear the end of this. "what are you wasting time on, man? you know what the folks say; don't bring a girl about everywhere without any strings attached." 

dean looks like he could slip into the front and knock the teeth out of seth's mouth and roman seems to notice when he speaks up, "hey. hey, you two. we tryna get to a wedding so keep it nice and clean, okay? ain't scared to kick both of y'all's teeth in if you act up, boys." 

roman means it, of course, though he doesn't sound like he does and seth and dean know it. to lighten the moment, paige hears brie talk to her sister. "yeah, nikki. keep your man in check." 

"oh, i think it's hot though," nikki sounds so awfully sultry, paige thinks, but it doesn't stop her from laughing softly. from the rearview mirror, she sees nikki lean against seth's arm and kisses him on the corner of his mouth. "you're hot when you're angry." 

brie makes a comment about how gross nikki is getting and roman agrees with a soft laugh. paige thinks this is actually pretty nice and she's finally getting along with brie bella, who seems pretty smitten with dean now and she's got nothing to worry about brie trying to get roman's attention again. 

she's actually happy; she and roman are working things out pretty well, seth is happy with nikki and dean has just today to get over with. as soon as april ties the knot, paige believes dean will be able to move on easier. 

glancing over at roman, paige flashes him a smile and he returns it before puckering his lips and asking for a kiss. she rolls her eyes playfully, leaning in to leave multiple kisses to his lips, breaking away only when the light turns green. he takes her hand and laces their fingers together before she lifts his up to kiss his knuckles. 

yeah, she's definitely happy. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

there are familiar faces at the wedding, nikki notices as they step out of roman's car. there are also famous faces and nikki guesses they must have been somehow randy's guests. when you're a millionaire, your wedding's got to be really big. let's just say nikki will enjoy whatever she's entitled to on this special day and the first thing she's heading for is those sweet, satisfying treats; wine. 

walking hand in hand with seth, nikki separates from her sister to leave her with dean, heading straight towards the table where they serve the small refreshment prepared for guests before the actual ceremony. she picks out a tiny brownie cut and pops it into her mouth, moaning at the burst of taste on her tongue. 

"nicole," seth nudges her elbow with his own, a hand placed at the small of her back. "do you how loud that was?" 

nikki raises a brow, just a /little/ turned on with how protective seth sounds and the way he says her name. god. "what was? you mean that little sound i just made? you don't like it?" 

seth shoots her a pointed look, the hand on her back sliding just a little lower. "you know i do, but i'd like to be the only one who can hear that, nicole." 

"ooh," she coos, leaning in to gently nibble at his earlobe, getting just a little excited. "i like when you call me that. just gets me a little.." she says nothing to finish her sentence, just allowing a soft moan to leave her lips. 

he groans, visibly getting riled up from her little playfulness. enjoying how easy it is to get a reaction out of him, nikki giggles softly and tugs gently at his collar, leaning in to kiss him softly on his lips. "you're a bad girl, nicole." 

she laughs again, releasing a soft sound that she hopes he would like to hear coming from her. "i am. you should teach me a lesson tonight, mr. rollins. show me how to be a good girl." 

that does it. seth's hand is openly on her ass now, giving it a gentle squeeze and she releases a soft moan in response. if it doesn't stop now, nikki thinks she might sin on what is supposedly a pure celebration. 

"you might want to cut down on the pda, lovebirds." a voice interrupts them that doesn't really bother nikki, turning around to see paige walking over to them with roman's arm around her waist. "there are cameras everywhere, you know that." 

nikki laughs softly, reaching down to grab a piece of cupcake to hand it over to paige, who took it gratefully. "i like the attention, plus im feeling kind of hot around here." 

"you're barely wearing a dress," roman comments and nikki watches as paige kicks his shin when he gestures towards nikki's exposed chest. 

true enough, she had picked out a bright pink dress that hugs her curves, strapless and showing maybe a little too much cleavage but seth seems to like it so it was a good choice. she laughs, however, at how roman doesn't immediately get what she means. "i meant your friend here, roman, is looking pretty hot in his suit and im feeling the heat." 

"that's true," seth speaks up and the arm around her waist tightens, pulling her closer to his side. "also, roman, if you so much glance at my girlfriend's chest one more time, im gonna whoop your ass." 

paige and nikki laugh but roman only rolls his eyes. he doesn't get to say anything when they heard brie calling for them, saying the ceremony is about to start and they should get to their seats. paige and roman walk off first and nikki is just about to pull seth with her when he stops her, pulling her close to him instead. she looks at him, smiling questioningly. 

"are you happy, nicole?" he asks in a whisper. 

nikki doesn't have to think of an answer. she very well is and she shows it with a kiss to his lips. "i am very happy, seth. are you?" 

seth grins and nikki thinks she can never ever be unhappy again as long as she gets to see that smile. "happiest man alive." 

that makes her happiest woman alive and nikki's happy with that. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

april mendez looks like a goddess. 

dean can't help but notice the glow that she carries on her skin and in her smile, that sparkle of happiness in her eyes and the careful steps she takes as she walks down the aisle on her father's arm, spotting just a tiny baby bump. he had always thought it wouldn't be obvious if she ever gets pregnant; she's a tiny lady and dean could imagine just how tiny her baby would be. dean smiles at the thought, fond of imagining creating a family with her. 

except, of course, he isn't on the other side of that aisle. he isn't getting married to april mendez and he isn't the father of that baby she carries in her belly. april mendez isn't about to be his wife and dean's heart squeezes at the reminder. 

his focus is turned away from the bride and groom when he feels a hand squeezing his own and he looks up to see brie smiling at him almost assuringly. it's a wonder how easy he calms from that smile alone. 

she leans in close enough to whisper to him and he unknowingly allows her to lace their fingers together. "how are you feeling?" 

dean scoffs, "negative hundred." 

brie laughs as softly as she could and her free hand reaches up to pat his chest. "you'll be okay. also, i need another favour." 

"what now?" 

he receives a smack on the shoulder for that but brie answers anyway. "you have to be my plus one for roman's wedding." 

"i have to be?" 

"yes." 

"do i get to say no?" he's being playful by now and brie gives his shoulder a gentle shove though she doesn't hide the grin that colors her lips. "fine, fine. i'll go with you." 

"thank you," brie whispers and just then, the priest announces april and randy husband and wife. 

dean watches them seal it with a kiss. his heart skips a beat, a little painful there but not too much. he guesses it is a good start. paige was right after all; today would be that kickstart he needs to finally move on. the guests get on their feet and shower the new married couple with a round of applause. nikki and seth share a kiss and from next to him, dean could hear paige tell roman that the next time they're at a wedding, it would be theirs. dean had to smile at that. 

still clapping his hands, dean nudges at brie's arm to get her attention. "you know, ive been thinking about molokai." 

"yeah?" brie raises her brows, looking genuinely interested. "you going?" 

dean rephrases his words in his head, something he's been thinking about since that night they pretended to be seeing each other. "yeah, i was just thinking that i think it would most probably be better if i have a guide to go there with. like a, uh, a tour guide that is also a friend? to keep me company and also show me around cause i think that'd be really great and i won't embarrass myself and get lost in the middle of nowhere—" 

he's stopped when brie laughs and grasps at his hands, only realizing then that he's still clapping when everyone else had gone off to the reception party while he babbles on and on and on and failing to say what exactly he had meant to say. brie laughs a little more, shaking her head and not releasing his hands just yet. 

"yes, i'll go with you," she says then with another laugh, nodding her head. 

dean wants to smile but all he does is scoff, oddly and somehow constantly playful with her. "i didn't even ask you that." 

"oh, but you did though," she laughs again, pulling him by the hand towards the reception. "and im saying yes." 

dean's smile breaks out onto his face and he wonders how it doesn't even bother him how much they're holding hands now as he gives her hand a squeeze. "you're paying for yourself." 

brie rolls her eyes and dean ignores the teasing looks roman, paige, seth and nikki are shooting at them both. "okay, but you're paying for our food. and no, you don't get to say no." 

"how is that fair?" 

"that's fair because you asked me to go with you," brie smacks his arm again, laughing softly. "you did ask. don't deny." 

dean only laughs because that had been his intention until his tongue decides to spit out words that don't make sense. he nods then, an agreement sealed, and he thinks it's a good day after all. paige and roman are happy, seth looks at home with nikki and brie bella has a huge, heartwarming smile that melts even dean ambrose's leftover heart. 

who would have known?


	18. Chapter 18

molokai is the definition of heaven on earth. 

dean could say now that he had never been so satisfied with the world until the moment he stepped foot on the hawaiian island. he could feel the sea breeze from where their paid driver had dropped them off at the resort, his fingers itching to touch the blue, blue water, body yearning for that peace he had long searched for. he's so happy he could kiss brie bella right that moment. 

of course, he managed to stop himself. 

the three days off he had asked from mike turned into a full week; their big boss kane had granted him the leave when he saw that dean hadn't claimed his employee leave yet. mike had no say in it whatsoever and kevin has to work extra shifts to cover for dean. if he didn't hate dean before, he sure does now. 

thankfully, brie had been able to get the week off as well. she seems as excited as he feels about showing him around the place, telling him that she used to come here yearly since breaking up with roman. after checking in, brie leads dean up to their separate rooms just next to each other and they make plans to meet up at the lobby for dinner. 

dean's room, like everything else in molokai, is perfect. near perfect, at least. he has a great view of the beach and the water from his window, all the more making him want to ditch settling down and head right into the water. but he /is/ tired from the travel, definitely hungry, and he kind of doesn't want to enjoy the moment without brie. 

so much for a peace of mind. 

he takes a quick shower just to freshen up, shaving off his growing beard after contemplating on it for five minutes. he may or may not have heard brie talking to paige just last weekend about how she preferred a clean-shaven chris pine. and no, dean isn't shaving for anyone. definitely not for brie. 

nope, definitely not for brie. 

besides, he looks good without the beard. better with but good without. he snorts at his own reflection, leaving the bathroom to put on a fresh pair of jeans and a tee. 

by the time he's ready, it's six in the evening so he grabs his wallet and phone and slips them into his pockets before heading out. he doesn't have to wait long for brie to turn up at the lobby and with a smile and falling into an easy conversation, dean lets brie take him to a restaurant she deems to be worth their time. she was right. 

dinner was quick and fantastic and they take a walk along the shore after, skies already dark with night and there are groups of people still in the water, some celebrating loudly on land. brie tells him about a time she had to go through when she was here last and he tells her about how he has /never/ left his town except to live in new york with his buddies. they talk and laugh some more, eventually picking a spot to sit and face the sea. 

brie has been very open with him lately and she emphasizes on how he has been a good friend to her. but he wonders if it's friendly of him to have random images of him stealing a kiss when they're silent and just basking in each other's presence. it's weird; dean has never felt like this for anyone besides april. 

"but yeah, so like, it's weird to have them tell that to me at that time because i was having such a rough time with how i look," brie is saying as they sat next to each other on the sand, hugging her knees to her chest, her skin illuminated by the moonlight. "it's hard to believe them when they call you beautiful but you don't feel like you are." 

"but you are, though," dean mutters and brie turns her head to look at him, a smile already stretching at her lips. 

she rolls her eyes, "well, /now/ im happy with how i look but not back then." 

"im sure you've never looked anything less than beautiful, brianna." well, that definitely was not how he had meant to say it but he could see the pink on her cheeks even with the lack of light and it's /so/ pretty. 

he clears his throat then, raising his arms up to stretch them above his head as he yawns, resting back onto his palms and watching the waves crash against the shore. they continue to talk and dean manages to stop himself from saying anything embarrassing again. 

they walk back to their rooms and bid each other goodnight, dean receiving a kiss on his cheek before brie smiles at him and disappears into her room. he doesn't fall asleep immediately when he drops himself onto the bed, turning on the tv and watching whatever they have on as he picks up his phone and reads the messages roman, seth and paige had spammed the group chat with. 

s(nake)eth: did u touch her, nikki wants to know   
rome: i don't wanna know   
paige: me neither   
paige: but did you?   
s(nake)eth: okay if u didn't, at least tell me u kissed her, man   
paige: she likes you   
rome: yeah, that i can tell. so obvious.   
paige: are you jealous roman?   
rome: paige. don't start.   
paige: :'D   
rome: istg   
paige: fiNE. i was kidding.   
rome: you better be   
s(nake)eth: so dean?   
s(nake)eth: dean ambrose?   
s(nake)eth: hello   
paige: gasp   
paige: what if they're doing the do now   
rome: paige   
paige: roman   
s(nake)eth: DEAN AMBROSE   
me: fuck off guys   
me: im sleeping   
me: good fucking night   
paige: ...   
s(nake)eth: oooooh   
rome: cranky cause he didn't get the pussay   
paige: ROMAN   
rome: HAHAHAHAAAHHA 

dean left. 

rolling his eyes, dean tosses his phone off to the side and looks at the time to see that it's already past midnight. he flicks the light and tv off before turning to his side, eyes closing as he settles to try and sleep. he's startled, however, by the knocking on his door. confused as to who could be coming to his room this late at night, dean walks over and opens the door to see that it was brie. 

she smiles apologetically at him, clearing her throat before she speaks. "i. it got really dark and i got a little lonely and cold. do you mind if i join you, dean?" 

he has to bite back a smile at how adorable she sounds, shaking his head and stepping aside so she could walk in. she's in her knitted sweater and long pyjama pants, he notices as he closes the door. "you can take the bed, i'll sleep on the couch." 

"oh, no," brie shakes her head as she sits herself on the edge of the bed. "could we, um. can we sleep together? as in, in the same bed, just for tonight? im —" 

dean grins, "cold?" 

"yes, cold," she laughs softly and he walks over to slip under the covers, scooting over to let her lie next to him. 

she's hesitant at first but he waits for her patiently and when she does move, brie curls up close to his side and buries her face into his chest and dean has to admit that it's the kind of warmth he wouldn't mind having for the next five nights, or for life. he smiles to himself when she thanks him and it doesn't take long for her to fall fast asleep, her breathing gentle and soft and dean takes this chance to kiss into her hair. 

he wakes up that morning with his arms wrapped around brie bella and her face buried in the crook of his neck. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

they spend the next couple of days having the most fun he's had in his thirty-one years. they go for horse riding on the mountains and swimming in the sea and ate food he never thought he would ever consume. brie laughs like she's the happiest person in the world and seeing her laugh makes /him/ happy. he thinks she has the prettiest smile. 

it's friday and they have two more days left of vacation and he wouldn't admit it aloud but dean would miss this place. he would miss spending time with brie even more. they're in a restaurant just about to leave and as promised, he pays for the food. he decides it wouldn't harm anyone if he takes a bold move. he'll blame it on roman and seth for all those influence they have on him; they had obviously added him back in the group chat and the harassment never stopped. 

alas, he thinks they're right anyway. 

without thinking too much of it, dean takes brie's hand in his own. he could feel her questioning gaze but she says nothing as he leads her out towards the beach once again. she's worm her floral sundress and left her hair in a loose braid, sitting nice and comfortable on her shoulder. he likes how soft and warm her hand is in his own. 

spending time. 

at the beach has become a nightly routine now after five days in molokai. but unlike any other night, tonight feels somewhat different. he was just about to let go of her hand and take a seat on the sand when a group of musicians pass by them and started playing the violin and guitar, singing songs he doesn't understand the meaning to. 

brie is enjoying it, of course, smiling widely and grinning when one of the men hands dean a pink rose. dean only smiles and pockets an amount of money into the man's hand in thanks for the entertainment. 

"that was really nice," brie says after awhile, now seated on the sand next to dean. "ive always wanted to be serenaded or have someone sing for me while im out with a boyfriend." 

dean raises a brow, his voice teasing. "a boyfriend?" 

"i mean," brie laughs, looking flustered. "that was just nice. don't tease me, ambrose." 

"oh ho ho," dean wiggles a finger at her. "don't start with the last names now, brianna." 

she rolls her eyes, sitting cross-legged and playing with the sand. "what are you going to do about it?" 

"i might kiss you," dean teases some more. 

brie laughs before she stops to look at him though her smile doesn't falter. "you wouldn't dare, ambrose." 

"oh, you're asking for this, bella." he fakes a growl and lunges at her, bringing them both down onto the sand and she squeals as he attacks her with tickles. they roll around in the sand for awhile, brie suffering the tickle attack and laughing rather unattractively as she tries to push him away. 

exhausted, they roll to a stop, still laughing, dean on top of brie as they try to catch their breaths. she looks even more beautiful up close and a brief moment, dean only looks into her brown eyes, leaning down to kiss her softly on the lips. and then it's hard /not/ to kiss her so he does it again and again and again until they run out of breath once more and brie only giggles, her arms winding around his neck. 

"was that for show, ambrose?" she asks in a whisper, gaze alternating between in his eyes and on his lips. 

he smiles down at her, a peck on her lips. "who's watching?" 

brie's smile widens, one of her hands cupping the side of his face and wiping sand off his cheek. "so.. what does this mean then?" 

"it means.." dean mutters, heart fluttering and cheeks hurting from his grinning. "it means you and i are gonna try things out as.. you know, us. instead of you and me, it'll be us. until we decide we're not for each other and if we are then.. we are. you up for that?" 

"god," brie laughs, shaking her head. "and i thought seth was terrible with the way he asked nicole to be his girlfriend." 

dean frowns before an idea pops in his head and he looks around to find that rose the man had given him, scrambling off of her to reach for the flower. brie sits up when he gets back to her and he smiles apologetically for how the rose had turned out to be; tattered petals and nearly dead. brie laughs again. 

"brianna, will you agree to try this out with me and if i make you happy and you make me happy enough that love grows, we'll go together as us in the long run?" 

brie nods, taking the rose and jumping onto him as her arms wind around his neck once again. and against the shell of his ear, she whispers. "yes, most definitely." 

man, life really is good. 

\------------------------------------------------ 

s(nake)eth: so?   
paige: dean   
paige: you're awfully smiley   
paige: its creeping me out   
rome: i think   
rome: i think i know   
s(nake)eth: ????   
s(nake)eth: oh my god, roman, do you think so?!? — nikki   
rome: :'D  
paige: oh god   
rome: dean, my boy, i hope you enjoy your supper   
s(nake)eth: pussay for supper tastes A++   
paige: i hate you guys   
me: : )  
paige: ew   
rome: he got tHE PUSSAY 

dean laughs softly to himself, shaking his head when brie asks what's so funny. she doesn't buy it but chooses to ignore, curling further against him and kissing his bare chest as he rubs her bare shoulder with the pad of his thumb. tomorrow they'll head home and he'll have to deal with asshole friends but it's okay. 

he's pretty happy so all is okay

**Author's Note:**

> my first time writing a wwe fic. originally no plans to post it and it isn't proof-read but hoping you guys enjoy it! do tell me what you think!


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